


TMNT Travels

by Applepye



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Usagi Yojimbo
Genre: Cloaca, Gay, M/M, TMNT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:53:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 56,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3528446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applepye/pseuds/Applepye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonardo travels to Usagi's world to learn all that he can from the samurai.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Leo waved one last goodbye to his family before turning back to the portal. He touched the pendant around his neck, which was his way back home to make sure it was still there. Taking a deep, steading breath, Leo stepped through the portal. 

Usagi was waiting for him on the other side, his son Jotaro tied on his back. “Welcome, Leonardo.”

Leo bowed to his friend, “Thank you for allowing me to accompany you on your travels. This will be like stepping back in time for me.” He looked at the slumbering young bunny strapped to Usagi’s back. “He’s beautiful. I can’t wait to actually meet him.”

Usagi looked over his shoulder and a soft smile turned up the edges of his mouth, “I’ve grown quite fond of him. It was a bit overwhelming when I discovered that he was mine. I hope you don’t mind, traveling with a small child. I assure you that he is well behaved.”

“Of course not,” Leo smiled. “I love kids.”

Usagi’s smile widened, “Good. Come. There is a natural spring just beyond the mountains. I thought the first day of your visit should end with a pleasant soak.”

“That sounds nice,” Leo adjusted his small bag and checked the pendant again. “I am eager to learn all that I can from you and from those we meet. Your world is like living history, only mine was run by humans.”

Usagi laughed, “There are humans here too, Leonardo-san.”

Leo lifted an eye ridge, “Really?”

“Yes,” Usagi affirmed as he held out some items for Leonardo. “This is a kimono and geta. It may be custom for you to walk around unclothed in your world but the people here will take offense to it. Also, ninjas are not seen as good people so it might be wise to lose the mask. That is, if you don’t want people to judge you before they know you.”

“Right,” Leo blushed and removed his mask, belt and swords then put on the kimono. It was a deep blue, making Leo smile at the attempt made by Usagi. The material was soft enough and wasn’t too restrictive so he didn’t worry too much about being able to fight in it. 

Usagi handed Leo a new obi and sheaths for his swords that would fit at his waist. “I hope they fit.”

“Me too,” Leo smiled as he accepted them. “I would hate to walk through this foreign land unarmed and defenseless.”

Usagi’s ear twitched and he stood a little taller, “You would not be defenseless as long as you are with me.”

Leo looked up at Usagi and balked a little at his expression, “I meant no disrespect. I just….”

Usagi let out a hearty laugh, cutting Leo off. “I know what you meant, Leonardo-san, and I understand your need to keep your weapons at your side.”

Leo let out a breathy chuckle and shook his head in disbelief. “You had me going. I honestly thought that I had offended you.” Letting out a deep sigh in hopes of steading his still pounding heart, Leo slipped into the geta. The sheaths suited his katana well enough but the obi felt strange around his hips; he was used to carrying his weapons on his back. 

Pulling down on the kimono to adjust it, Leo stood before Usagi, “How do I look?”

“Like you belong to this world and as less of a target,” Usagi answered as a matter of fact. He looked in the direction of the sun to gauge the time. “We better get going if we are going to reach the springs by nightfall.”

Leo looked at the position of the sun and saw that it was barely over the horizon. He pointed towards it, “Is that west?”

Usagi shook his head as his smile widened, “That is the east.”

Leo looked at Usagi as he felt his heat sink, “Please tell me that your sun sets in the east.”

Usagi let out another burst of laughter, “No, my friend. The sun has only just come up.”

“Judging by the temperature, I’m going to guess it is summer and with turtle luck on my side, I’m going to guess that it’s closer to midsummer, meaning that we have a long day to make this trek to the hot springs.” He should have known that when Usagi promised a nice soak in a hot spring that it would come after a full day’s walk. 

It wasn’t going to be like anything he had experienced before. He knew that the life of a wandering nomad wasn’t going to be one of leisure. None of that gave him pause. He knew what he was getting into when he stepped through the portal. “If it is going to be a long walk,” Leo held out his hand to Usagi, “at least let me lighten your load.”

Usagi removed the bag from his shoulder and handed it over to Leo. “I hope you are not upset about the walk.”

“Not at all,” Leo smiled at him as he adjusted the bag with his own. “As a matter of fact, I look forward to it.”

“Good,” Usagi led the way as they headed north to the mountains. Leonardo had four months to spend with Usagi on this journey and he planned on making the best of it. 

They walked a well-traveled path through an open field. It was one of the most beautiful things Leonardo had ever seen. The grass was so tall that it came up passed his waist. The air was clear and almost sweet. Simple pleasures that were rare back home but were an everyday thing for Usagi. 

After about an hour of walking, Jotaro woke up. He shifted in the sling, rubbing his face against Usagi’s back as he fought wakefulness. Opening his eyes, Jotaro looked around. When his eyes fell on Leo they snapped open and a wide smile spread across his face. “I’m ready to get down, Uncle Usagi.”

Confused, Leo looked at Usagi. He thought Jotaro was Usagi’s son. Usagi shook his head, indicating that it wasn’t the moment to discuss it. “I have been telling him all about you,” Usagi said as he undid the bindings holding Jotaro to him. As the sling came loose, Usagi dropped to his knees and let Jotaro slide from his back. Usagi looked up at Leo, “He is excited. He has never met a ninja before.”

“Can you teach me how to hide in the shadows?” Jotaro pleaded. 

Leo chuckled. “The best ninjas are the ones who hide out in the open and blend in with the common folk.”

“Like you’re doing right now?” Jotaro asked, his eyes going wide with wonder. 

Leo nodded, “Yes.” They continued down the path and Jotaro stayed close to Leo. A soft smile spread across Leo’s beak. Even if Jotaro didn’t know Usagi was his father, Usagi had a son and Leo couldn’t help but be a little envious of it. “Maybe,” Leo ventured, “if Usagi allows it, I can show you a few katas. It may give you an upper hand one day.”

Jotaro gasped in excitement and looked up at Usagi. With a soft chuckle, Usagi nodded his head. “There is no harm in learning the techniques of a ninja. There is an advantage in knowing such things.”

“This is going to be great,” Jotaro said in excitement. “Thank you, Uncle Usagi.”

They continued to discuss what techniques they would teach each other as they continued on the path. It wasn’t long before Jotaro grew bored of the conversation and he started to run in and out of the tall grass. He was so short that only his ears could be seen through the brown, swaying grass. He swung his bokken through the air, fighting invisible opponents and Leo could see the skill Jotaro displayed. Leo couldn’t help but think of his own childhood, back when he started to study the sword. 

“Do not run too far ahead,” Usagi warned. 

“I won’t,” Jotaro called back. 

With Jotaro out of earshot, Leo took the opportunity to talk to Usagi. “If you don’t mind my asking, why does he call you Uncle Usagi instead of father?”

“He does not know that I am his father,” Usagi answered. “His mother, Mariko and I…. It was before I left for my training. I did not know she was pregnant. I would have returned home if I had known. Instead of sending me a message she allowed Kenichi, my childhood rival, to persuade her to marry him so she wouldn’t have a child out of wedlock. He raised Jotaro as his own. When Mariko told me that Jotaro was mine, she requested that I not tell anyone. She didn’t want to jeopardize the relationship he had with Kenichi.”

“It must have been hard for you,” Leo said, feeling his heart sink for his friend. “At least you get to train him now.”

“I never intended to be his master,” Usagi replied. “The plan was for him to train with my former master, Katsuich. But….” Usagi looked down for a moment to regain his composure even though he had yet to lose it. “That area was hit hard with an earthquake. It devastated my village. I hurried home as soon as I heard. When I got there…. I could not find my master. Mariko and Kenichi were severely injured and were being tended to by the rest of the village. Their resources were scarce so they were sending who they could to friends and family in other villages. Not wanting to stay and use up their precious resources, I offered to take Jotaro with me.”

“How long are you going to keep him with you?” Leo asked. 

Usagi shrugged, “I figured that we will go back to the village to see how they have progressed after a year has passed. There were no remains at my master’s home so I am hoping that he is alive. Maybe when I return with Jotaro my master will also be there.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be the one to train Jotaro?”

Usagi shook his head. “He would be better trained with my master. It would not be right for me to train him.”

Leo nodded his understanding and let the difficult subject drop. 

The further down the road they traveled the thicker the air became and the land didn’t look as pleasant. “There is a village just up ahead where we can take a short break and get some water.”

“Have you traveled this way before?” Leo asked as he felt a shiver run up his spine. There was something about the area that put Leo on edge. 

“Yes,” Usage answered. “On my way to my village, not too long ago.” They walked past a farm that looked like it had been abandoned. The crops were dead and the soil was parched. It was the time of year where the fields should have been flush with ripe crops, ready for harvest. “I do not like this,” Usagi stated. “The farmers were tending their crops when I last past.”

As they neared the village, Leonardo’s unease only heightened and his heart pounded in his chest. Usagi also looked to be on edge. Jotaro didn’t seem to notice and continued on the path just a few feet ahead. 

“The village looks abandoned,” Leo stated. “Maybe a disaster hit it as well.”

“No. The buildings have not collapsed,” Usagi replied, looking over at Leo.

“Could it have been raided?” Leo ventured. 

“Possibly,” Usagi nodded and then stopped. “Do you smell that?” The stench Usagi referred to could only be described as death. Fear prickling his fur, Usagi yelled, “Jotaro, come here! We will not pass through this village. It would be best if we walked around.” He added in a whisper, “Maybe it was a plague.”

Jotaro’s eyes were wide and he trembled as he slowly walked back towards Leo and Usagi. His eyes were fixed on a point behind them. Fear kept him from moving closer to them and he stopped just beyond arm’s length. 

Leonardo and Usagi turned to look behind them to find that there was someone there. The fact that he was able to walk behind to trained warriors, undetected put a knot in Leo’s stomach. The man was a grey dog with sunken eyes and a blank look on his face. He just stood there unblinking. 

Usagi turned to face the man and took a step back, reaching for Jotaro as he moved. Leo followed suit, putting some distance between himself and the man. The man didn’t move or react to them at all. He just stood there, unblinking, looking off at nothing in particular. 

Without taking his eyes off the man, Usagi lifted Jotaro and continued to move away. Not wanting to enter the village, they walked backward along the edge. After a point, they turned around only to find someone else standing behind them. 

The woman’s eyes were just as vacant as the man’s. Leo couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran through him. 

The sound of something being dragged could be heard behind them. Leo had no desire to turn around again to see what it was. Usagi pushed Leo to get him to move around the woman and Leo obliged. Leo wanted nothing more than to run but Usagi held his arm tight, keeping him at a steady pace as they walked. 

Jotaro kept his face buried in Usagi’s chest, mumbling “Yūrei” over and over to himself. Shushing Jotaro and keeping a tight grip on Leo’s arm, Usagi kept his eyes ahead despite the fact that the dragging sound was getting closer. 

They came to a fast moving river and had to stop. The dragging sound stopped right behind them and Leo could feel hot breath on his neck. The dark presence of whatever was behind them made Leo’s skin crawl. Usagi’s grip on Leo tightened and Leo chanced a glance over at him. Usagi looked as if he didn’t know what to do. 

Reaching over, Leo took Jotaro and moved closer to the water. The river was fast but it wasn’t far to the other side. He grabbed Usagi’s hand and pulled them into the water. Leo used the current and angled towards the shore. With one arm holding Jotaro to his chest and his other hand holding Usagi’s, Leo only had his legs to swim. It was all he needed, even in the rough waters. 

He was able to get them to the other side and Usagi was able to grab hold of a tree root. Leo let go of Usagi to insure that his rabbit friend would be able to pull himself from the water. “Leonardo,” Usagi called after him. 

A moment later, Leo was able to work his way to shore and pulled himself out of the water. Jotaro took in a deep breath and coughed. Comforting the small bunny, Leo made his way back down stream to get to Usagi. 

“Leonardo! Jotaro!” Usagi called out. 

“We’re here,” Leo called back. As Usagi approached them, Leo held Jotaro out. “He’s a little shaken up but he’ll be alright.” Usagi took Jotaro from Leo and the two rabbits hugged. 

“Uncle Usagi, I was so frightened,” Jotaro sobbed, holding tight to Usagi. 

“What was all of that?” Leo asked. “Why couldn’t we run?”

Usagi looked back over his shoulder. “It appears that the village has fallen victim to an Oni. The spirits of the villagers wander as Yūrei since their bodies were never properly laid to rest. They were probably trying to warn us so we could get away from the Oni. Running only excites them more. It was waiting for us to show fear before it attacked. They are difficult creatures to defeat and if Jotaro had looked at him….” Usagi held Jotaro up and looked his son in the eyes. “Did you look at the Oni?”

“I only saw the one Yūrei, Uncle Usagi. I promise.”

“Good,” Usagi pulled him close. “Children are susceptible to Oni, more so than adults. We will have to make sure to tell a priest in the next village so that this one can be cleansed and so that the people can be laid to rest.”

“Is this common?” Leo asked, still a little out of breath. “Should I expect to see more demons over the next few months?”

“There are various other worldly creatures around us,” Usagi nodded. “As we travel there is a chance that we will run in to them. Not all of them will be like that, though.”

Leonardo reached up to make sure that his necklace was still there and then checked the bags. Fortunately he hadn’t lost anything to the river. It had been an interesting first day and it was only half over.


	2. Chapter 2

The path they were on cut through a forest of bamboo. Still frightened from their experience with the demon, Jotaro did want to be put down. He stayed curled up in Usagi’s arms with his face pressed against Usagi’s chest. 

Leo could see the worry etched on Usagi’s face and in the way he held Jotaro close. He kept a quick pace, determined to get to the next village before night fall. They were off course and the promise of the hot springs was put on hold for now. 

According to Usagi, there were priests in the village just beyond the bamboo forest. As the sun began to set, the sounds of people cutting on the bamboo could be heard in the distance. What Leo saw when they emerged from the forest was not what he had expected. 

It was not a simple village. A large estate that was surrounded by a wall, stat in on a small hill and several homes and businesses stretched out in all directions. The furthest from the estate were the farm lands, mostly rice fields. 

“This is where the lord over this province resides,” Usagi explained. “I have never met him but I hear he is a just lord, content with his small holdings. The village we passed is within his domain.” This meant that the village was the lord’s responsibility, as was ridding it of the demon. 

They headed straight for an inn and Usagi waved down a young boy. “Go fetch one of your village priests.”

With a stiff nod the boy ran off on his important errand. The innkeeper approached them and bowed his greeting. “Noble samurai, what brings you to our village?”

Usagi returned the gesture with a bow of his own. “I have come from the village across the river, about half a day’s journey back. It seems that a oni has taken root there. A priest is needed so that no other travelers will come upon it and so the dead villagers can finally find their peace.”

The man took a step back, “Did you see the oni?”

“No,” Usagi answered. “But we heard him.” Taking a deep breath, Usagi let it out slowly. “We have been traveling all day. My we please be seated while we wait for the boy to fetch the priest?”

“Of course,” the mad said and gestured back to an empty table. “Will you be staying the night with us as well?”

“Yes,” Usagi nodded. 

They were taken back to a table and served some dumplings and tea. Jotaro stayed in Usagi’s lap, refusing to eat. Leo didn’t blame him, he didn’t have much by way of an appetite either. 

“I am sorry this has happened,” Usagi said as he pushed a dumpling across his plate with his chopsticks. “I knew that there would be dangers here and that there was a chance that you would have to fight but I did not expect for you to have to face such horrors.”

“I’m alright,” Leo smiled. “It’s not like I have never faced a demon before.”

Usagi chuckled softly and ran his hand over Jotaro’s head. 

It wasn’t long before the young boy returned followed by the priest. Usagi told the priest about what had happened, leaving out no detail. The priest silently listened to the story, his eyes occasionally moving to Jotaro. When Usagi finished with his story the priest stood. “Come with me to the shrine. I would like to take a look at the boy to make sure.”

Usagi nodded and stood, “He says that he did not see the oni.”

“Children do not always speak the truth when they are frightened,” the priest said as a matter of fact. 

Usagi paid the innkeeper for their food and they followed the priest to the shrine. As soon as they entered the shrine the priest ordered that Jotaro be taken for examination. With a great deal of reluctance Usagi handed Jotaro over to another priest. 

Jotaro fought them, clawing to stay in Usagi’s arms. “Uncle Usagi,” Jotaro called out, reaching for Usagi as he was carried away. “I swear on my mother honor. I didn’t see the oni.”

“The priests need to make sure,” Usagi replied, fighting to keep his composure. “Be brave. Everything will be alright.” Jotaro continued to cry out as he was carried into another room. Once they were out of sight Usagi dropped to his knees and pressed his clasped hands to his forehead. “I will never forgive myself if he is not okay.”

Leo placed his hand on Usagi’s shoulder. “He will be fine. He’s just scared.”

“I pray you are right,” Usagi breathed without looking up. 

Usagi stayed on the ground until a priest approached him. Regaining his composure, Usagi stood, faced the priest and bowed. The priest bowed in return. “Thank you for bringing us this information. We are already making the necessary preparations for our journey. Is there any more information about oni that you can tell us?”

Leo shook his head, “We did not see it but it sounded heavy and like it was dragging something behind it.”

The priest nodded his head. “Thank you.” He bowed once again. “The information you have given us will help us to defeat the creature.”

“I pray you can rid the area of the monster before anyone else falls victim to it,” Usagi said and bowed in return. 

The priest bowed once more before leaving the two of them alone. All of the bowing was going to take some getting used to. Splinter had taught them to be respectful but not to this extent. 

Usagi heaved a heavy sigh and his eyes stayed fixed on the room where they had taken Jotaro. Fortunately Jotaro’s cries had quieted but it didn’t seem to ease Usagi’s worry. Leo couldn’t imagine what Usagi must have been feeling. 

When the door slid open, Usagi’s ears perked up in anticipation. A priest emerged first and Jotaro trotted out behind him. “I was as brave as a samurai,” Jotaro announced and rushed over to give Usagi a hug. 

The priest smiled, “Your son was very brave.”

Usagi froze and Jotaro turned to look at the priest. “He is not my father. My mother and father were hurt so Uncle Usagi agreed to look after me while they got better.”

“My mistake,” the priest bowed. “He just looks so much like you.”

“It is alright,” Usagi said, lifting Jotaro.

“I am pleased to tell you that he is without any taint from the oni,” the priest said. “He was true to his word as a noble samurai would be.”

“Thank you,” Usagi bowed. “We will leave you to prepare for your journey.”

“I will see you out,” the priest offered, gesturing in the direction they would need to go. Then his eyes widened as he looked past them and his arm dropped. “Please, no blood shed within the shrine,” the priest beseeched them. 

Usagi and Leo both turned to see who the priest was talking to. Ten samurai stood with their hands on the hilts of their swords. “I am Mako, General to Lord Tomehame,” the lead samurai stated. “Why are you here?”

Once again Usagi bowed and Leo did the same, making sure to fight the urge to reach for his weapons. When they straitened Usagi spoke. “I am Miaymoto Usagi, a Ronin. This is Leonardo, a friend from a distant land and Jotaro. We had come here, when we encountered a demon in a nearby village, to seek out the priests so that they might rid the land of the creature.”

The general’s eyes narrowed as he looked them over. “Very well.” He signaled to his men and they all turned to leave. Leo waited for them to exit the shrine before leaning close to Usagi. 

“What was that about?” Leo whispered. 

“I do not know,” Usagi answered. “They are on guard for some reason. We will leave first thing in the morning to avoid any problems.”

Leo inwardly sighed. With ‘turtle luck’ on their side, come morning, they were going to have problems. 

By the time they got back to the inn Jotaro was asleep in Usagi’s arms. Leo was almost asleep on his feet as well. It had been a long and exhausting day. Usagi paid for a room and they were allowed back. It wasn’t anything fancy. The room was small with one large tatami mattress on the floor. 

Usagi placed Jotaro in the middle of the bed and his swords close as he lay down. Leo followed suit. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Leo was awoken when Jotaro jumped up on his chest. The small bunny looked down at Leo with a sparkle in his eye. “Good morning, Leonardo san.”

“Good morning, Jotaro,” Leo smiled up at him. “I am happy to see that you are in good spirits again.”

Jotaro puffed up his chest, “I am from a noble samurai family. We do not let things like yurei or oni frighten us for long.”

“You will be a brave warrior one day and you will serve your lord well,” Leo said and Jotaro’s beamed with pride. 

“I will be the best,” Jotaro declared. “Between what I will learn from you and what I will learn from Katsuichi sensei, I will know how to defeat samurai and ninja alike.”

“Bushido is about doing what is right and protecting others, not doing harm,” Usagi told Jotaro. His tone was corrective but not harsh. 

“You cannot protect others if you cannot defeat the ones who want to hurt them,” Jotaro countered. 

Leo couldn’t help but smile, “I can already tell you that he is a smart one.” Lifting Jotaro from his chest, Leo sat up and reached for his swords. “I am hungry.”

“We will eat and then leave as soon as we are done,” Usagi stated. “I would like to make up for some of our lost time.”

They ate a breakfast of pickled vegetables and rice, paid the innkeeper one more time and were ready to be on their way. The sun was just starting to rise and the air was moist but there weren’t any clouds in the sky. They had just stepped out of the inn when the samurai approached. 

The general looked to be on a mission and Leo hoped that it had nothing to do with them. As luck would have it, it did. The general and his men walked up to them and bowed. “Lord Tomehame wishes to see you.”

“We would be honored,” Usagi replied. 

They were led up to the large estate of the daimyo. Jotaro was kept in between Leo and Usagi. The young rabbit seemed to understand that it was the safest place for him, if anything were to happen. They were led through a large room with bamboo floors that chirped. Leonardo had heard of such floors before. The squeaky floor boards were not a sign of disrepair but were of masterful design. Daimyo used them as an early warning system. The challenge of soundlessly crossing the floor was almost too much for Leo to resist. Only a master ninja would be able to achieve it. 

Leo’s eyes roamed around the room, looking for any and all possible exits and he knew Usagi was doing the same. Even Jotaro seemed to be on alert. They made it about halfway through the room when a large bear man entered. He wore simple robes but his top knot and the way he carried himself told Leo that he was the lord of the land. Leo and Usagi bowed in unison.

“These are the samurai who brought us news about the oni, my lord.” Mako said as he bowed. 

“Thank you, Mako,” Tomehame said to his general and then turned to Usagi. “Master Samurai, I thank you for bringing us the information about the oni. I was about to send a few of my samurai to check on the village. They were late in sending their representative with their taxes when they are usually early. I would have lost those men to the oni and I cannot afford to lose any more.”

Tomehame started pacing, making the floor sing again. “It seems that the prosperity of my small province has drawn the attention of one of the other lords, who wishes to claim it as his own. I do not know which one, there has been no declaration of war. But he has been whittling away at my lands for the past year and has even sent assassins. There is no honor in his tactics. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one who unleashed the oni on that village.”

He stopped pacing and turned to them. “Have you heard anything in your travels that might suggest who my enemy might be?”

Usagi shook his head. “I’m sorry but I have not and I am not one to make assumptions. You are in alliance with Lord Noriyuki, are you not?”

Tomehame nodded, “Yes I am. Our families have been in alliance ever since the shogun came into power. My son is with Lord Noriyuki now. They are friends and with all that is happening here, I felt that he would be safer there.”

Usagi thought for a moment before saying, “Although I am not one to make assumptions, Lord Hikiji has been known for his desire to expand his lands. His battle with my late lord, Mifune was almost lost to him. If it wasn’t for one of my lord’s generals being easily paid off, we would have defeated Lord Hikiji.”

“I have suspected as much myself,” Tomehame confessed. “Sadly there is no way to prove it.”

“I wish there was a way we could assist you more,” Usagi said in all honesty. 

“I can test your security for you,” Leo offered, “and help you improve it where needed.” He continued to look around the room as he spoke. “I have already found a few points of entry where a ninja could make his way through and into your bedchamber.”

Leo looked over at Usagi who looked back at him in disbelief. Leo then shifted his gaze up to Lord Tomehame and bowed. “I can give you demonstration, if you like.”

“What would a samurai know of ninjutsu?” Mako asked, placing his hand on his sword. 

“I only wish to help,” Leo said, keeping his own posture unthreatening. “I have had some ninja training and know how ninjas work. I can help you with your security and show you some of the likely ways a ninja will try to get to you.”

Lord Tomehame held up his hand, “You may try to get into my bedchamber without being noticed.”

Leo bowed again and turned to leave the room. “It is broad daylight,” Mako said. “There is no way you will be able to get in.”

“He crossed the floor without it making any noise,” Jotaro pointed out as Leo headed out the door.

Leonardo made quick work taking advantage of the few weak points in the building’s security and landed silently in the bedchamber. He was impressed with his own time but decided to wait a few moments before opening the door. 

“I knew he could do it,” Jotaro exclaimed. 

Tomehame turned in stunned surprise. There was fear in his eyes as he addressed Leo. “Can you make sure that the way you entered cannot be used by another?”

“I can,” Leo nodded. “When I’m done, no ninja will be able to enter your home.”


	3. Chapter 3

Leonardo ran one more time across the Nightingale floor, just for fun. They had spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon adding more security measures to Lord Tomehame’s home. Once they were done, they were given payment and supplies before they continued on their journey. 

“You are incorrigible,” Usagi chuckled as they made their way out of town. “You are lucky that your ninja skills proved to be valuable. I think Lord Tomehame wanted to take you on as a retainer.”

“He seemed nice enough,” Leo smiled. “But I don’t know if Mako would have appreciated me taking his place.”

Once again Usagi let out a soft laugh, “No he would not. He is a loyal servant to his master and it would have been a blow to his pride to be replaced.”

“I’m just glad that he let me teach him all that I could,” Leo replied. “He will be able to better serve his master now. I don’t think that there is a ninja alive who could breach that fortress.”

“No ninja but you of course,” Usagi quipped. 

Not one to brag, Leo simply smiled. 

“You were amazing,” Jotaro chimed it, hopping up and down. “When you were able to walk across the floor without making a sound it was the greatest thing I have ever seen.” He looked up at Leo as they followed the path north. “I want to learn as much as I can from you. I will be the only samurai with some skills as a ninja. I will be the greatest warrior of all time.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Jotaro,” Usagi warned. “A samurai expresses modesty in all things and does not boast.”

Jotaro turned his head to look up at Usagi, “Gennosuke-san boasted about his abilities all the time.”

“Do not aspire to be like Gen,” Usagi said with a frown. “Your parents would never forgive me. I did not plan on you to meeting him but sadly he is hard to avoid.”

“How long have you been traveling with Jotaro?” Leonardo asked. 

Usagi thought for a moment before answering, “It has been several months, nearly a year. When I took him from our small village we traveled down to the Geishu Provence to see Lord Noriyuki. There Jotaro pledged himself to serve as soon as he is trained as a samurai. We are traveling north now to make our way back to our home. Hopefully by the time we return, his parents will be well enough to care for him once again.”

“I want to stay with you longer, Uncle Usagi,” Jotaro pouted. 

Usagi smiled down at the young rabbit. “Are you not eager to return to your parents?” Usagi paused as Jotaro nodded his head. “Treasure this time with them,” Usagi continued. “Before you know it you will be grown and on your own, longing for the simpler times of your youth.”

Jotaro walked in somber silence as he pondered Usagi words. After a while, Jotaro reached up and grabbed hold of Usagi’s hand. “Maybe then you could stay in the village for a while so we can be together for a while longer.”

Usagi closed his eyes for a moment before answering. “I am not ready to settle down. I will, however continue to come and visit.”

Jotaro squeezed Usagi’s hand tighter. 

The pain they were both feeling was almost palatable so Leo changed the subject. “The soak in the river as we fled for our lives was fun and all but I remember you promising me a soak in a hot springs.” 

Usagi’s mood lifted and he was once again smiling. “Yes, I did. We are on our way now. We are a little off course but we should be there before night fall.”

“Good,” Leo sighed with a smile. “And with the extra coin we picked up I’m sure it will be a luxurious experience.”

They continued to walk the path, making good time. When Jotaro got too tired to walk, Usagi and Leo took turns carrying him. They shared stories about their adventures and discussed different fighting techniques along the way. 

They were waylaid by a group of bandits but the two master swords men were able to defeat them. Though Leo fought to simply beat them in hopes that they would run away, Usagi had no issue in killing their attackers. As three of the bandits made their escape, Usagi turned to Leonardo. “Do not hold back against your enemies here, Leonardo-san. Your mercy for them will only result in trouble for others down the road.” He looked around at the dead. “I wonder if there was a bounty on them or a reward for dispatching them, of some kind.”

“This one acted as if he was their leader,” Leo gestured to the body of one of the bandits as he put his swords away. “If there is a bounty, it would most likely be for him.”

“Agreed.” Usagi nodded his head as he inspected the body, “It did appear to be that way.” He pushed the man’s arm out of the way, “What is this?” Jotaro made his way around the bodies to Leo as Usagi pulled the object that had caught his interest from the leader’s pocket. “A note?”

Leo knelt down to look Jotaro over while Usagi read the blood stained note. Jotaro looked distraught over the recent bloodshed so Leo picked him up and shielded him from the scene. It was a traumatic life that the poor bunny was leading. Death was too common place. 

“They must have stolen this from a messenger,” Usagi stated, folding the note. He placed it in his pocket and looked at Leo. “Fortunately the one who was to receive this letter isn’t out of our way. We can deliver the letter and take a small break before we continue on our journey.”

“I don’t know,” Leo chuckled as he followed after Usagi. “With the luck we’ve been having lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if this small task ends up taking more of our time.”

“Nonsense,” Usagi shook his head. “We can’t have that much bad luck.”

“Based off of what I have experienced in life, trust me, we can,” Leo stated flatly. 

Continuing down the path, the two warriors passed the time talking about whatever came to mind. Leo tracked the movement of the sun through the sky but he had no idea how much time had passed. If Donatello was with them, he would know. 

By the time the sun neared the horizon, the wild lands soon gave way to the cultivated crops of the nearby town. The scents of burning wood, cooking food, and waste filled the air. It was a vast contrast to the fresh air of the untouched lands. Usagi led the way into the town and requested an audience with the lord. 

As they waited, Usagi showed Leo how to tie the hilt of his swords to show that they were not a threat. It didn’t take long before they were led into the lord’s estate. 

The lord was an old dog, surrounded by his loyal samurai. He held himself according to his station though Leo could see that the weight of his years tried to slump his shoulders. It looked like it took a great effort for him to keep his back straight. 

Usagi kneeled down and held out the note. “I believe that this is for you.” As a servant came forward to take the note, Usagi explained. “Please forgive the blood. We found that on the body of a bandit leader who had attacked us. I believe that it is safe to assume that the original messenger has also been killed.”

Leo and Jotaro kneeled down behind Usagi and remained quiet. Chancing a glance down at Jotaro, Leo saw that the young rabbit kept his eyes on the ground and his hands folded in his lap. Usagi was right, for one so young, he was well behaved. 

The old lord nodded his head. “Thank you, Samurai. Those bandits have been causing problems for quite some time.”

“Their bodies can be found not far from here,” Usagi said, keeping his head down. “There were a total of nine, six are dead.”

“This is good news,” the lord smiled. “My enemy has been attempting to stop my alliance with Lord Toumae. Since you have killed six of his men, including the leader of his bandits, you have done me a great favor.”

“It was merely by chance, my lord,” Usagi replied.

“None the less, you have my gratitude. You did not have to bring the letter to me but you did,” the lord said then turned to one of his retainers. “Get the samurai some payment for his troubles.”

“That is not necessary, my lord,” Usagi said in a steady tone. “We were already traveling this way. It was no trouble at all and the right thing to do.” 

The lord held up his hand, “I insist. It is the least I can do.”

Leonardo had been told that it was a polite society, at least for the more noble people but he was still amazed at the back and forth between the two. When the money was brought out, Usagi did not reach for it right away. Instead he bowed deeply and said, “This is a most gracious offering.”

The lord signaled the servant and the small bag of coins was place on the floor. As the servant backed away Usagi reached for the bag. “Thank you, my lord.” Leo knew that if Usagi had refused the offer it would have been an insult to the lord. It would have implied that Usagi was above such offerings or that he believed that the lord was not wealthy enough to afford it. 

After tucking the bag into the folds of his robes, Usagi bowed once again. “If there is nothing more, my lord, my associate and I will take our leave.”

There it was. Leo waited with bated breath for the lord’s response. Usagi had to open it up so that the lord could ask more of them. It was, of course, the polite thing to do. 

“I will have one of my men escort you out,” the lord replied. 

One of the samurai stepped forward and Usagi stood. “Thank you again,” Usagi said with a bow before following the samurai out. Leo and Jotaro also stood and bowed to the lord then followed after Usagi. Leonardo’s head was swimming. He didn’t think he would be able to handle a situation with a lord like that properly. He was sure that he would say or do the wrong thing and offend someone. 

When they reached the outside, Leo heaved a sigh of relief. A small smile spread across Usagi’s lips. “See. There were no issues.”

“I’ll be happier once we are back on the road,” Leo responded, not quite convinced that they were in the clear. 

With a wide smile, Usagi retrieved the coins from his pocket and held the small bag out for Leo to see. “You are bringing me good fortune, my friend. I have not had this much coin in a long time.”

“Don’t tempt the fates,” Leo warned in jest. 

Usagi’s smile faded and he tucked the money away. “You are right. If I keep celebrating our good luck then before you know it Gen will come out of nowhere and manage to swindle us out of our money.”

Leo did not know Gen as well as Usagi but he knew him well enough to get the not so subtle joke and allowed himself a small chuckle.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun had set hours ago but they continued to walk. Fortunately the moon was full so there was some light to see where they were going. Usagi wanted to press on until they reached the hot springs. They were on an incline path that was cut up the small mountain side. Usagi swore that they were close but Leo was starting to doubt that they would make it there before midnight. 

Jotaro had fallen asleep before the sun had fully set and Leo carried him, in a sling, on his back. He smiled to himself as he walked. Having the young bunny asleep, curled up against his carapace made Leo’s heart soar and made him wish he could have a child of his own. He was going to cherish the time he had with Jotaro to the fullest. 

They rounded a cluster of boulders and the hot springs came into view. A small building was set among the rocks with fences running from it to surround the pools of hot water. Steam could be seen rising from the fenced in areas.

There were lights coming from within the building, which was a good sign that someone was still awake. Usagi led the way up the path. “They are used to late travelers coming here during all hours of the night. Not only is this a hot springs but there is an inn here as well.” He smiled back at Leo and held up the bag of money. “We have enough to get a private room with its own pool, as long as one is available.”

“That sounds nice,” Leo smiled. “I guess it was a good thing that we fell on some misfortune.”

Usagi chuckled, “I’ve never been so fortunate in my misfortunes. Most of the time I end up losing money.”

They entered the building and Usagi paid the innkeeper for the night in a private room. As they were led back through the building, Leo looked around. It was a lot nicer than the other places they had stayed. The floors were swept and the paint on the walls was smooth. The art that decorated the corridors looked as if it had been purchased recently. 

“Is this place new?” Leo asked Usagi. 

“It has been here for several decades,” Usagi replied. “It is just well maintained.”

“I can see that,” Leo said in awe. 

Their room wasn’t large but it was clean with a shoji that opened up to the private pool. The servant moved about the room, preparing it for them. She lit a candle, opened the shoji and then unrolled the tatami. Once she was done she bowed as she backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. 

“This is nice,” Leo said. 

Usagi lifted Jotaro from the sling on Leo’s back and placed him on the tatami. “I don’t know about you but I am going to soak in the hot spring pool before I go to bed.”

“That sounds nice,” Leo smiled and started to remove his clothes. He followed Usagi’s example and folded everything as he removed them. It felt good to remove the clothing. He had been wearing the same thing since he had arrived in Usagi’s world and it was in need of a good cleaning. 

Usagi got to work stripping Jotaro as he slept. Before Leo could ask how they were going to clean their clothes, Usagi collected them and placed them just outside the door. “They will be laundered and brought back in the morning,” Usagi explained. 

“Nice.” Leo watched Usagi make his way back across the room. It was the first time Leo had seen his friend undressed. The only thing Usagi had on was his undergarments and Leo found it a bit strange to see him that way. It made him look different. 

Leo glanced over at Jotaro, who was fully naked and saw that he did have a little tail. Leo couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his lips. He knew that Usagi was a great warrior but the thought of him with a cute little bunny tail made him seem a little less fierce. 

Carrying their swords, Leo followed Usagi outside. They sat down in the hot pool and Leo let out a soft sigh. Their swords were placed within arm’s reach and from where they were sitting they could see into their room and where Jotaro was sleeping. “I paid for two nights,” Usagi sighed and leaned back. “After what we have been through, I figured we deserved it.”

“You’re not going to hear any complaints out of me,” Leo chuckled. “I could spend the whole three months here.”

Usagi laughed, “We have been fortunate but not that fortunate. And besides, I need to get Jotaro back to his parents. It has been almost a year and it will take about a month to travel there. I told them that I would only take him for a year.”

Leo felt his heart sink a little. “Really? I was kinda hoping to have him with us the whole time.”

“I would love to be able to spend more time with him, but I gave them my word.” Usagi looked up at the stars. “When I found out that he was my son I was overjoyed and devastated at the same time. He has a good home and Kenichi is a good father to him. He is a good man for claiming Jotaro as his own. It would not be safe for him to stay with me.”

“Maybe one day, when he is older, you can train him,” Leo offered. 

Turning his head to look at Leo, Usagi said, “It would not be proper for me to train my own son. I would go too easy on him. He needs someone who will train him, not mollycoddle him. He will train with my master, Katsuichi, when he is old enough.” Usagi sat up to check on Jotaro before turning back to Leo. “Speaking of training, you have expressed your desire for me to train you. Does that me you are willing to take on the role of a wakashu?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Leo shook his head. “I don’t know what that is.”

“You do not?” Usagi tilted his head. “DO you not have them in your world? It is the stage in a man’s life that is in between childhood and adulthood. You are a little older than most start out but you have yet to reach the age of adulthood so you do qualify. To be honest, the clothes I have given you are traditionally those worn by a wakashu.”

“I am here to learn all that I can from you, including the culture,” Leo said. “I don’t see any harm in carrying a new title for a while.”

“It’s more than that.” Usagi turned towards Leo so that they could look directly at each other. “I will be your teacher in… everything.”

“So… what?” Leo shrugged. “You teach me how to fight, how to behave, how to read, and write? Math? History? I only have three months. I don’t think we can cram years of samurai training into that short amount of time. ”

“I agree, I cannot teach you everything.” Usagi nodded. “Those things are included in training but there is also the physical.”

“Like… exercise?” Leo ventured to guess.

“Sex,” Usagi stated flatly. 

Leo’s mind stopped working for a moment and he just stared blankly at his friend. The word echoed in his head until his mind was able to process what he had just heard. “W…what?” he managed to stammer out. 

“When a samurai master takes on a student,” Usagi explained, “they also, often, become lovers.”

Leo’s head was spinning. He turned to look at Jotaro. “But…, you had sex with a woman. You’re not gay…. Are you?”

“It’s… different,” Usagi answered, taken back a little bit. “The relationship I had with Jotaro’s mother was one of love. The one we would have is one of mutual companionship. It forges a bond between master and student that lasts a lifetime.”

Leo turned to look at Usagi again. “So when you went to train with Katsuichi, you two had sex?”

Usagi nodded, “Yes.”

Leo was still having a hard time trying to wrap his mind around it all. “How old were you?”

“A few months shy of Fifteen,” Usagi answered. 

Again, it took a moment for Leo’s mind to process. “You don’t think that is, maybe, a little too young to enter into a sexual relationship?”

“No,” Usagi shook his head. “Some girls are married by that time and already pregnant with their first child.”

“Where I come from, that is too young,” Leo argued. “Way too young. You plan on sending Jotaro to the same master you had, when he comes of age, and they are going to have sex just like you did.”

Usagi’s ears dropped. “I do not understand why you are getting so upset, Leonardo. This is the custom of my people.”

Leo took a calming breath. He didn’t want to offend Usagi. It was just that when it came to children, Leo became defensive. He had to remind himself that he was in a different time and place. It was only in recent times that the age of consent was raised to eighteen. And even in his own world, there were still countries where children were being married off at young ages. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. Things are just vastly different where I come from. A sexual relationship between an adult and a child is frowned upon and scarring for the child.”

“I wasn’t a child,” Usagi insisted. “I was young, yes, but not a child. Do you think that you were a child when you were fifteen?”

“No,” Leo sighed. “I do not. But that doesn’t mean that I was mature enough for sex, especially not with someone who is much older.”

“Maybe you still aren’t. It is not something you have to do.” Collecting his swords, Usagi stood and got out of the pool. “Not all do it. It is just an option. I am sorry if I had offended you with the offer. I am going to bed.”

“Goodnight,” Leo said after a moment’s hesitation, he didn’t know what else to say. He watched Usagi dry himself, enter the room and lie down next to Jotaro. Guilt filled Leo. He didn’t mean to argue with Usagi. Resting his head on the rocks that surrounded the pool, Leo looked up at the stars. He had a lot to think about. 

….

Leo woke up to the sound of Jotaro’s laughter. The morning sun was just starting to show over the horizon, its soft light lending a yellow hue to everything. The subtle smell of breakfast reminded Leo that it had been a while since he had eaten last. 

“Don’t let me go,” Jotaro begged. Leo sat up and saw Usagi with Jotaro in the small pool. It was clear that the small bunny didn’t know how to swim. 

“I’ve got you,” Usagi assured him. 

Leo stood up, grabbed his swords and made his way to the open door. Usagi looked up as Leo approached. “Will you check in the hall to see if our clothes are ready?”

“Sure,” Leo nodded and then made his way back towards the other door. Sliding it open just enough to look out, Leo checked the hall. Their clothes had been set by the door in a neat bundle. After checking to see if anyone was in the hall, Leo reached out and collected their clothes. “They’re here,” Leo announced, returning to the pool. 

“Good,” Usagi smiled, pulling Jotaro close. “Let’s get out so we can get some breakfast.”

Leo got himself dressed as Usagi toweled off Jotaro. “About last night,” Leo started and his heart pounded in his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Do not worry about it. Last night is behind us.” Usagi stood. “Will you help Jotaro dress while I dry off?”

Leo nodded and knelt down as Jotaro walked over to him. As Leo assisted Jotaro with is kimono, Usagi removed his underwear and rung the cloth out. Leo looked up and his gaze moved over Usagi’s body. In the light of the day, Leo could see some spots in the fur where scars littered Usagi’s body. But it was not the scars that had drawn Leo’s attention. 

As he watched his friend and the way his body moved it made Leo rethink Usagi’s offer.


	5. Chapter 5

Leonardo moved through his morning katas as Jotaro sat in the open door way, watching him while drinking a cup of tea. Leo wore nothing as he moved through the more complex forms. It was more natural for him. The clothes just got in the way. 

Chancing a glance over at Usagi, Leo saw that he was also watching him. Leo suddenly felt naked, causing him to stumble and nearly lost his footing. Once he had regained control, Leo looked over at Usagi again to see that the samurai was no longer watching him. Leo cursed himself under his breath and started his next series of movements. 

After a while Jotaro stood and walked up to Leo. “Can you teach me how to move like that?”

“To move like this takes years of practice,” Leo smiled and performed one of the more difficult katas, just for show. 

Jotaro giggled and clapped his hands, “You are amazing, Leonardo-san.”

Leo walked over to grab a towel and wiped some of the sweat form his brow. “I can show you some of the basics,” Leo offered. Jotaro nodded and Leo knelt down to get at his level. “Watch me closely and do what I do.”

“Okay,” Jotaro smiled. 

Leo stood and moved into first position. Jotaro stood next to him and tried to copy the stance. “Okay,” Leo looked down at Jotaro. He had to stifle the laugh that threatened to bubble up when he saw the look of determined concentration on Jotaro’s face. He wondered if Splinter had the same experience with him when he was young and determined. “Hold that pose. I’m going to make a few corrections.”

Jotaro’s ears dropped a little when Leo mentioned that his stance needed a few corrections. It was a feeling Leo remembered well. Jotaro didn’t fight as Leo adjusted his stance and Leo was able to easily move Jotaro into the right position. “There,” Leo said. “Now relax and try it again.”

Jotaro nodded his head and dropped his arms to his sides. Taking a deep steading breath, Jotaro moved into the first position again. “Very good,” Leo praised him, earning a slight smile from the young rabbit. 

Leonardo showed Jotaro a few more katas before ending their session. By the time they were done, the sun’s position told Leo that it was about midmorning and Leo wanted to soak. It was going to be his last chance since they were planning on leaving that afternoon. The comfort of the hot spring would soon be nothing more than a fond memory. 

As Leo stepped into the pool, Jotaro stripped himself of his clothes to join him. “Help him keep his head above water,” Usagi called out. 

“Alright,” Leo replied and reached out for Jotaro. The young rabbit jumped in, without hesitation. It was a testament of how much Jotaro trusted Leo and how little fear he had. 

“I guess one more soak in the hot spring will be good before we head out,” Usagi said as he stood up. He stripped himself completely and sat on the other side of the pool. Leo’s gaze moved over Usagi’s body and he felt his heart skip. Usagi’s offer the night before had been on Leo’s mind more often than not. 

Reaching out his hands, Usagi said, “Try to swim to me.”

Jotaro turned in Leo’s grip and plunged into the water. His arms and legs thrashed as he moved through the water. Leo chuckled as he watched. “So much energy expended and he is barely even moving. But at least he is eager.”

“That he is,” Usagi chuckled as he helped Jotaro up. 

“How was that?” Jotaro asked, out of breath while wiping the water from his face. 

“Well. You made it to me,” Usagi answered and Leo had to stifle a chuckle. “You’re getting better.”

It was hard to tell how much time had passed while they were in the small pool. But by judging the position of the sun and from the rumble in Leo’s belly, it was safe to guess that it was around noon. 

They dressed and gathered their things then headed into the inn for something to eat. After they finished their lunch it was time for them to continue on their way. 

The days that followed were uneventful. They spent their days walking and their nights sleeping propped up against a tree with Jotaro between them. Leo had learned, in that sort time, how to sleep sitting up. Though the first night was a challenge, Leo’s determination to make it through the night without falling over had paid off. It was not comfortable and Leo missed the luxury of being able to shower on a daily basis. This was a harder life than he had imagined. 

Along one path there was a small statue, wearing a tattered coat, sitting by the side of the road. Usagi selected a rock then handed it and an apple to Jotaro. The young bunny rushed over, knelt down in front of the statue, said a small prayer, and then placed the stone and apple at its feet. 

Leo leaned over and whispered to Usagi, “What is that?”

“It is a statue of Jizo-sama,” Usagi explained. “He is the guardian of the souls of dead children. A child must have been slain on this path. The apple is an offering to Jizo-sama and the stone is to help the child in the afterlife. I pray that Jotaro never has to meet him.” Usagi then found another stone and added it to the small pile at the base of the statue. 

With a heavy heart, Leo looked around for a stone to add to the pile. He didn’t know what to say in his prayer but he asked Jizo to protect the child and any others before adding the stone to the pile. They continued on the path and followed it until sundown. 

They sat against a large tree with Jotaro nuzzled between them. Leo had managed to wedge his shell into a nook in the tree and he had his swords across his lap. As he tried to clear his mind to sleep, his mind once again wandered to his conversation with Usagi earlier that week. 

He was with Usagi to learn about the ways of the Samurai and to further his understanding in Bushido. But he was also there to immerse himself into the culture. He had to admit that he was curious. It wasn’t like the opportunity to experience such things would ever present itself again. 

He glanced over at Usagi to see that his friend’s eyes were closed. The moon was full so it provided just enough light for Leonardo to see. “Is everything alright, Leonardo?” Usagi mumbled without opening his eyes. 

“I was thinking,” Leo started then his nerves had his throat closing up on him. He swallowed hard and discovered his mouth had gone dry so he licked his lips. “When I spoke with Splinter, about your offer to travel with you and study under you, he had alluded to… the thing we spoke about the other day.”

“You becoming a wakashu?” Usagi clarified, opening his eyes to look at Leo and Leo nodded. 

“I didn’t fully understand what he was implying at the time but, now that I have had time to think about it, I think he was… telling me that it would be alright.” Leo’s heart hammered in his chest and his ears started to ring. All of a sudden, it was hard for him to look up at Usagi. “I would be honored if I could be your wakashu.”

“Alright,” Usagi said in a soft voice. “I will train you, my young friend, as my wakashu. Would you like to get started tonight?”

Leo felt himself flush as he considered Usagi’s offer. “I… uh….”

“We don’t have to go all the way to full penetration,” Usagi said in a soothing tone as he smiled. “Just a little exploration of each other’s bodies.”

Leo looked down at Jotaro, “What about your son?”

Usagi looked down at the small, bundled bunny, “He sleeps soundly. I once fought off twenty assailants and he did not wake.”

“Alright,” Leo placed his swords to the side and moved away from the tree. “What would you like me to do…, master?”

Usagi moved around Jotaro to sit in front of Leo then moved in for a soft kiss. There wasn’t much to it, just a light brushing of their lips, but it was enough to make Leo’s stomach flip. 

Leo brought his hands up and glided his fingers down Usagi’s jaw, fluttering his fingers back and forth as he did. A puzzling look spread across Usagi’s face and Leo froze just as he was about to repeat the movement. “I don’t know why I did that,” Leo said as he dropped his hands into his lap. “I did it without thinking.”

“It’s alright,” Usagi smiled and lifted his hands to do the same to Leo. The fur on Usagi’s fingers tickled Leo’s neck, causing him to giggle and it helped to ease some of his tension. He also found the gesture to be incredibly arousing.

Again, Leo fluttered his fingers down Usagi’s jaw as Usagi lowered his hands to untie Leo’s obi. “I will admit that I have often wondered where your penis is located. You walk around without clothes on all the time yet, I have never seen it.”

Leo looked down between them, “It’s in my tail.”

Tilting his head to the side, Usagi drifted his hands down and his eyes went wide when he discovered the bulge at the base of Leo’s tail. “Fascinating.”

He must have felt Leo tense because he looked up and said, “You don’t have to do this, Leonardo.”

“I’m just nervous,” Leo said with an unsteady voice. “It’s just that I’ve never….”

Usagi nodded his head, “I understand. I was no different my first time with my master.” His hand pressed against Leo’s cloaca, eliciting a churr from him. Again, Usagi looked at Leo with a look of surprise. “You are an interesting creature, Leonardo.”

Unable to contain his erection any longer, Leo’s penis emerged into Usagi’s waiting hand. The rough pads contrasted with the soft fur on Usagi’s fingers but both stimulated Leo. His body shook as his muscles tensed and moved on their own. 

Usagi’s hands moved along Leo’s shaft as if exploring it, testing where to touch to get the best reaction. Leo had masturbated before but there was something about someone else touching him that made it feel so much better. Needing something to hold on to, Leo’s hands came up to hold Usagi’s shoulders as his pleasure kept rising.

Churring with each stroke of Usagi’s hand, Leo kept thinking that the next stroke would be the one to finish him but it only kept getting better. Just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to take anymore, Leo finished with a deep churr. 

Usagi worked him though his orgasm, continuing with his steady movements. Once it was over Leo opened his eyes, not even realizing he had closed them. His chest heaved as he looked into Usagi’s eyes. 

Usagi’s eyes sparked, “There. Next time, you won’t be so nervous and we will be able to explore each other more.”

“What about you?” Leo rasped out as he wiped himself off and closed his kimono. 

“There will be plenty of time for that,” Usagi moved back over to sit on the other side of Jotaro. “Get some sleep.”

Placing his swords back in his lap, Leo wedged his shell back into the nook of the tree. He felt a little more relaxed and quite satisfied. A slight smile curled up the edges of Leo’s lips. Glancing over at Usagi, Leo saw that his friend had a smile on his face. 

Usagi’s eye opened and he looked at Leo. “I said, ‘Get some sleep’.”

Leo closed his eyes and settled back against the tree. “Yes, master.”


	6. Chapter 6

It was pouring rain and ground was saturated, making the puddles of mud thick and deep. Leo had removed his shoes because they kept getting stuck. He was used to walking around barefoot anyways. Even though Leo’s clothes were soaked through, it was a welcome break from the summer heat. Being wet never really bothered him. 

Usagi and Jotaro, on the other hand, looked miserable. It had to have been because of all of the fur and the way the water just soaked into it. Usagi carried Jotaro in his arms and the small bunny kept his face turned towards Usagi’s chest. 

The rain didn’t worry Leonardo. It was when lightning ripped across the sky that he started to fear. Out in the open, like they were and with metal weapons, it was a very dangerous place. Fortunately, they came across an old cottage. 

“Let us pray that whoever lives there will be willing to grant us shelter,” Usagi said as he increased his pacing. 

If anything, Leo hoped that they would be able to lean up against the cottage to hopefully avoid the lightning. 

They reached the cottage and from the looks of it, no one had occupied the small structure in a long time. But, just because it looked abandoned did not mean that they could simply see themselves in. Usagi knocked on the door and waited for a reply. 

When none came, Usagi pushed the door open. “Hello?” Placing Jotaro down, just outside the door, Usagi headed into the cottage. “We are looking for shelter from the storm. Is anyone here?”

Leonardo kept his hand on his weapons and stayed near Jotaro. Nothing felt off but it was best to stay on guard. 

“The cottage is clear,” Usagi called out. “Bring Jotaro inside.”

“Alright,” Leo placed his hand on Jotaro’s back and guided him inside. “Let’s get you dry.”

Occasional sparks from a flint lit up the dark interior of the cottage, telling Leo that Usagi was trying to start a fire. Leo guided Jotaro over to where Usagi was sitting. “It’s a good thing that this fire pit is dry and that there was wood.” Usagi looked up as Leo approached. “Will you remove Jotaro’s clothes, wring them out and dry him off while I get this fire started.”

Leo nodded and did as he was asked. Jotaro was shivering as Leo helped him out of his clothes. It made Leo’s heart sink that he couldn’t do more to dry him off but everything they had was soaked. Leonardo was wringing out Jotaro’s clothes just as Usagi managed to get the fire started. Since his hands were occupied, Leo nudged Jotaro in the direction of the fire with his foot. 

“Go sit by the fire and warm yourself,” Leo stated. “We’ll get your clothes back on you once I get them wrung out.”

“Okay,” Jotaro said as he scurried over to sit next to Usagi. 

Once he was done tending to the fire, Usagi stood and removed his clothes. Leo tried not to stare as Usagi twisted the kimono to get as much water out of it as possible. The desire to explore Usagi’s body more had Leo hoping that Jotaro would fall asleep fast.

Leo continued to twist Jotaro’s clothes until there wasn’t any more water dripping from them. He then went over and helped the little bunny put his clothes back on before digging through their bags to find something for Jotaro to eat. With Jotaro settled, Leonardo removed his kimono and started the task of wringing it out. 

Staying naked while they waited for their clothes to dry was not an option. They were not in a secure place and anyone could show up at any time. So their damp clothes were put back on and they sat around the fire pit to let the heat do the rest of the drying. 

Weapons stayed nearby as they ate. Usagi kept his on the floor to his right while Leo kept his across his lap. Jotaro, like Usagi, kept his Bokken on the floor. It made Leo smile at how much Jotaro emulated Usagi. But at the same time, it made Leo’s heart ache for what he would never have. 

It wasn’t long before Jotaro’s head started to bob as sleep overwhelmed him. Usagi smiled as he helped Jotaro get situated for sleep. Leo could see the love Usagi had for his son.

As Usagi made his way back over to Leonardo there was a different kind of smile on his face. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you were looking at me earlier.”

Leo flushed and looked off to the side. He tried to play of his embarrassment. “It’s your fault. I can’t stop thinking about… the other night.”

Usagi sat next to Leo and leaned in close. “Would you like to do some more exploring before we sleep?”

Leo could only nod his head in response. 

Closing the gap between them, Usagi pressed in for a soft kiss. Leo loved the way Usagi’s fur felt against his beak. He wanted to feel more. Slipping his hand into Usagi’s kimono, Leo sought out the soft fur underneath. Curiosity got the better of him and Leo moved his hand up to feel Usagi’s chest. He found what he was looking for when his thumb passed over Usagi’s nipple. 

Usagi smiled into the kiss but otherwise didn’t react. He opened himself up to Leo’s exploration, parting his legs as Leo’s hand traveled down. Leo hesitated with his hand on Usagi’s stomach and the tips of his fingers played under the top of Usagi’s hakama. 

Usagi’s stomach muscles tightened and his hips bucked. “Lower,” he husked. 

Excitement caused Leo to churr. Working his hand down under the hakama, Leo continued to reach lower. Leo’s fingers encountered the tip of Usagi’s penis. Breaking the kiss, Leo removed his hand and started to untie the hakama. 

Usagi’s breath hitched as Leo pulled the fabric down. The dark pink appendage stood free of its pouch. Leo had seen enough on sex to know what to do. Lowering his head, Leo licked the tip. The taste was similar to how Usagi smelled only muskier.

Usagi moaned, placing his hand on the back of Leo’s head. “It appears that you know a few things.”

Leo looked up at Usagi. “In my world, information on such things is easy to come by. I know things, but I am inexperienced.” Not waiting for Usagi’s response, Leo lowered his head once again and took the entirety of Usagi’s penis into his mouth. 

Humming in delight, Usagi leaned back. He kept his hand on the back of Leo’s head, encouraging Leo to continue. Leo found the act of giving Usagi a blowjob to be arousing. Reaching down with his free hand, Leo started to play with himself. Every time Usagi moaned, every time Usagi’s penis throbbed seemed to stimulate Leo more. 

Leo churred, causing Usagi to gasp. Usagi’s penis throbbed, hardened, and then released into Leo’s mouth while Usagi continued to pet the back of Leo’s head. Usagi’s completion triggered Leo’s. With a satisfied sigh, Leo swallowed the salty juices and then lifted his head to look at Usagi. The samurai rabbit had a wide smile on his face as he leaned down to kiss Leo. 

Leo enjoyed kissing. The feeling of Usagi’s tongue sliding against his made Leo light headed and almost giddy. He would have done anything for Usagi in that moment. 

Usagi pulled away from the kiss and Leo was a little disappointed that it had ended. “We should get some sleep,” Usagi whispered. “We will have to make up for lost time in the morning.”

“Oaky,” Leo nodded and stood to fix his clothing. 

Usagi stood and fixed his hakama as he walked over to sit next to Jotaro with his back resting against the wall. With an inward sigh, Leo sat on the other side of Jotaro. Standing his swords against the nook of his shoulder, Leo settled in for yet another uncomfortable night of sleeping while sitting up. 

He felt light headed as he closed his eyes and figured it was a side effect of the endorphin rush. He couldn’t stop the smile that played across his lips as he drifted off to sleep. 

…..

Leo struggled to wake up. The fact that it was difficult to do set off alarm bells in his head. He fought against whatever it was that was affecting him. He managed to open his eyes only to close them again against the harsh light. 

It was well past morning and a ray of sunlight was beaming through a small crack, right in Leo’s face. Turning his head, Leo opened his eyes again. Usagi was equally struggling with consciousness. The samurai rabbit’s hand moved down to check on Jotaro and encountered an empty space. 

“Jotaro,” Usagi tried to call out, but his voice was only a whisper. In a haze they looked around for Jotaro but he was nowhere to be found. Fear induced adrenaline had Usagi overcoming the fog faster and he was the first to his feet. “Jotaro,” he called out a little louder. 

Using the wall for support, Leo managed to stand. He fought to take back control of his body and mind. Leo made his way across the room as Usagi opened the door. “Jotaro,” Usagi managed to yell but there was no answer. 

“Maybe when he realized that he couldn’t wake us, he ran to get help,” Leo offered, hoping for the best. Out of nervous habit, Leo checked for the pendant. His heart nearly stopped when it wasn’t there. Turning around, Leo rushed back into the cottage to look around. He checked where they were sleeping, where they had sat by the fire and even in the fire pit but it was nowhere to be found. 

“What is it, Leonardo?” Usagi asked from the door. 

“My pendant’s gone.” Leo continued to look around. “I need it. It keeps the passage of time here in sync with the passage of time back home. Without it I could return home only minutes after I left or years.” He turned to look up at Usagi. “You don’t think Jotaro would have taken it.”

Usagi’s ears dropped. “I think that whoever took Jotaro has taken it.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I changed the ending of the chapter. I had decided that I didn't want to use other people's OC and chose to use my own. Sorry for the change.

Upon further inspection, it was discovered that their adversary took more than Jotaro and Leo’s amulet. Their supplies and weapons were also missing. Leo’s head was still in a fog but he was functional. Heading outside, Leo looked around for any signs of their assailants. 

“Do you think we can track them?” Usagi asked, joining Leo at the door. 

Their eyes scanned the ground. “I hope so,” Leo sighed. “I’m going to check to see if there is a way out in the back.” He left Usagi in the front of the cottage to search in the back. 

There wasn’t much to the cottage. The front was the common room used for cooking, eating, and everyday chores. There was a room to the back where the family must have slept, a small room for bathing, and another that must have been used for storage but no back door. 

Leonardo returned to the front room to find Usagi sitting on the floor, holding a piece of wood. The samurai looked up as Leo approached. “There are holes drilled into the wood and an herb of some sort has been tucked into the holes. It was too dark last night, I didn’t see them.” Dropping the piece of wood back in to the pile, Usagi stood up. “If I had been more diligent….”

“This is not your fault,” Leo soothed. 

Usagi took a deep staggering breath and let it out slowly. “They have my son. I was supposed to protect him.”

“We’ll get him back,” Leo insisted. “We will find who took Jotaro and get him back.”

Shaking his head, Usagi fought back his tears of frustration and fear. “I knew it was too dangerous to bring him with me.”

Leo grabbed Usagi by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “We will find him.”

There was a great deal of pain in Usagi’s eyes as they searched Leo’s. Nodding Usagi said, “Let’s see if there are any traces of which way they went.” Usagi wiped his eyes and took a step back. “Was there anything in the back of the house?”

Leo shook his head. “No doors and the windows are too small for anyone to crawl through.”

“Then let’s see if there are any clues outside,” Usagi said as he headed for the door once again. Leo could tell that Usagi was struggling to keep it together. It reminded Leo of the time when Splinter went missing. There was the fear and the frustration from not knowing. 

They needed to find answers so they headed back outside to see if there were any tracks. The soggy ground made it hard to find any form of foot prints but that didn’t mean that there was nothing to be found. 

Broken branches and flattened foliage were enough to point the pair in the right direction and that there was more than one. Whoever took Jotaro didn’t try to mask their trail, which probably meant that they were overly confidant in their abilities. Leo felt his anger rise at the thought. He was going to make sure that their egos were taken down a notch. 

Looking back over his shoulder, Leo could see that Usagi was feeling the same way. Judging by the fire that burned in Usagi’s eyes, the bandits weren’t going to live long enough to learn a lesson. 

The path of trampled foliage led them to the outskirts of a village. “Do you think Jotaro’s in the village?” Leo asked. 

“There is only one way to find out,” Usagi answered, heading for the village. “If not, maybe one of the villagers will know something.”

They didn’t have to wander far into the village before they were approached. A kindly fox walked up to them with a sad smile on his face. “We were expecting you. Someone always shows up after a hard rain. I am Umi. Please come this way.”

“You know what is going on?” Usagi asked, narrowing his eyes. “Tell me what you know.”

“I will tell you everything, Master Samurai,” the villager promised as he led them through the village. “You are not the first to come here after spending the night in the cottage and you will not be the last.” He looked over his shoulder at them. “What was taken?”

“Everything,” Leo answered. “Including a child.”

Umi stopped. “A child? I am sorry.” Turning to continue down the path, Umi added. “Four other children have been taken. Two have been from this village. If you want the child back, you will have to pay.”

“Pay?” Usagi snapped. “Do you know who has my…. Do you know who has taken him?”

“Yes,” Umi nodded. “I am sorry to say that I do.”

Leo’s balled his hands into fists. “Do you work for them? Is this a way for your village to make money?”

Once again Umi stopped and turned around. “No. We are terrorized by these bandits and their demon master. Men have died in their attempts to stop them. All we can do now is assist their victims in recovering what was taken from them.”

“They chose the wrong travelers,” Leo snarled. “Just point us in the right direction.”

Umi laughed, “You are not the first to make such a declaration. Did you not hear when I said that men have died? Their leader is a demon, there is no defeating him.”

Crossing his arms over his plastron, Leo glared down at Umi. “I have faced and destroyed a few demons in my time.”

“As have I,” Usagi added. “Just tell us where to go.”

Umi pointed over his shoulder. “I am taking you to them now.”

“They are here in the village?” Usagi asked, talking a step closer to Umi. 

The villager’s ears dropped and he took a step back. “Believe me, I don’t want them here but there really isn’t much I can do about it. I’m no fighter. I’m a simply tailor. I had to work until my fingers bled to earn the money to buy my daughter back before the deadline.” Umi looked at each of them in turn. “The villagers here will help you get the money you need so you can get back as much of your possessions as possible.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Usagi said through gritted teeth. “I’m not paying to get what is mine. Just show us where we need to go. We will take it from there.”

“If that is what you want,” Umi sighed. “I will take you to where they are.” Shaking his head, Umi turned and continued down the path. They reached a large estate and he stopped a few feet from the gate. “They are here.”

“Here?” Usagi looked up at the large house. “This looks like an estate for a lord.”

Umi nodded, “It was.” Turning away, he walked back down the path. “Best of luck to you.”

Usagi watched the villager for a moment then turned to Leo. “Let’s go introduce ourselves to this ‘demon’ master.”

Without a word, Leo nodded. Together they skirted the property in search of the best place to enter. They could have walked through the front door, it is likely that they were expected, but they wanted to assess the situation before they made themselves known. 

Usagi, knowing that Leo’s ninja skills were needed, let Leonardo take point. Leo knew that it wasn’t easy for him to relinquish control of the situation, especially since Jotaro was involved. A lesser man wouldn’t have been able to do it. 

A large tree that grew near the gate provided a way over. They both landed on the other side without a sound and were running as soon as their feet hit the ground. The lack of security made entry into the house easy. Leo shook his head in disbelief. “How can they be so careless?”

They heard voices coming from down the hall and moved closer to investigate. Two bandits were sitting in a room, playing a game of some sort. After exchanging glances and a quick nod, Leo and Usagi moved in. They slipped up on the two bandits and snapped their necks before they realized that they were not alone. 

After removing the bandits’ weapons they stashed the bodies as best as they could. Leo hoped that they were hidden well enough to give them time. Leo checked the hall to make sure it was clear and then they continued in their search. 

The bandit’s cheap weapon felt strange. Just holding it in his hand, Leo could tell that it wasn’t properly balanced. That wasn’t going to make a difference. Leo was sure he would be able to fight the bandits off with his bare hands. 

A soft murmur of voices told them that they were going the right way. They came upon the great hall and stood outside the doors to listen in. A slight crack between the closed doors gave the pair a small glimpse into the room. 

A fox man sat at the feet of another, begging with his arms outstretched. “Please. I need more time.”

“I gave you all the time you are going to get.” The one sitting on the throne had a dark and silky voice. He was a black turtle with golden eyes. Leo could see why the villagers thought he was a demon. His coloring was unlike anything he had ever seen on a turtle. They probably thought that he was a kappa or at least possessed. 

The black turtle spun a knife in one hand and then used it to point at the man on the floor. “If you do not have the payment by tonight, I will take your child into the next town and sell it along with everything else we took from you.”

“I will report you to the shogun,” the fox shouted. 

As soon as the words left the man’s mouth, one of the bandits stepped forward, pulling out his katana, and sliced the fox’s head off. 

“No. You won’t,” the turtle said. He looked at the bandit who had killed the man. “Clean up your mess and put the head on a pike to remind the villagers that there is a price for threatening me.”

“Yes, my lord.” The bandit bowed and then bent down to collect the body. 

Leo’s grip was so tight on the swords that he could feel each detail in the hilt. Next to him Usagi was equally as tense. 

Leo reached out his hand and opened the door, causing the dark turtle and the bandits to look at them. The turtle’s eyes looked them over as he stood. “You could have come through the front. Most people come through the front.” His eyes moved to the blood stain on the floor. “Excuse the mess. Please pay close attention to it though. That is what happens to people who try to threaten me.”

“We are here for the boy and the items you took from us,” Usagi stated as they walked into the room. 

The turtle nodded. “I figured as much. That’s usually the reason people come here looking for me.” Placing his hand on his chest, he said, “I am Kuroko. Suiting name, don’t you think?” He looked at Usagi, golden eyes met with red and Kuroko smiled. “Your condition is the exact opposite of mine. But I’m sure your people didn’t shun you for it.” 

Snapping his fingers, he held out his hand and one of the bandits handed over a piece of paper. “Let’s see what we have, shall we?”

Kuroko looked over the paper. “There are a lot of valuable items on this list including a magical necklace, two sets of master katana, and a young boy. This is going to cost you a lot of money to get back. You did have several coins in your possession but it would be silly to sell them back to you. Don’t you think?” A sly smile spread across his lips in response to his own joke. 

“We are not going to pay you, bandit,” Usagi spat out. “Give us back what is ours.”

Kuroko sighed. “I really hate it when they choose to fight. It makes such a mess.” Cocking his head to the side, he smiled as he pulled out his sword. “Just make it easier on us all and agree to pay me.”

“No,” Leo answered and lunged at Kuroko. “We won’t let you continue taking advantage of innocent people.” 

“Try and stop me.” The black turtle was quick, pulling another blade from under his cloak to block Leo’s strike. Usagi moved to join in the fight but the other bandits got in the way, preventing Usagi from helping. 

Kuroko was proving to be a challenge. He fought with a smile on his face the whole time. He was overly confident in his abilities. “You think you can kill me boy?” Kuroko laughed. “I have fought greater men than you and won.”

Kuroko brought his blades down and Leo caught them with his own. They were locked together, testing each other’s physical strength. Leo looked past the blades into the mad man’s eyes. “So have I.” With a hard kick, Leo managed to push Kuroko back. “I may be young but I have been to other worlds and other dimensions. I have fought man and demons, against immeasurable odds. I have defeated them all. I will defeat you!”

Their swords hit each other with such force that it rattled Leo’s teeth. He couldn’t let that bother him. Pushing the pain aside, Leo calmed his mind and focused his thoughts on the fight. He had studied complex katas most of his life, becoming an expert swordsmen by the time he was twelve. The movements were like second nature to him. 

Kuroko was stronger, older, and he was skilled but he was also sloppy and full of anger. Leo knew how to handle another golden eyed fighter with too much anger. And like his brother, the more enraged Kuroko became the sloppier he got. 

Leo started to spot small openings and took full advantage of them. A small cut here and there, the pink muscle underneath a stark contrast against the black flesh. As Leo’s mind came into focus, Kuroko entered into a rage. 

More openings started to show, Leo was able to cause deeper cuts as a result. Leo’s mind was completely in the fight and he had Kuroko on the defensive. Kuroko’s lips moved but Leo’s mind was not in state to register them. Whatever he was saying was irrelevant anyway, Leo wasn’t going to stop until one of them was dead. 

The scent of blood was heavy in the air. Leo’s vision tunneled. 

Block, swipe, lunge.

Leo’s body was numb. 

Punch, thrust, doge. 

No one else was in the room, just them. 

Spin, sweep, slice.

He stood with his swords at the ready. 

Nothing. 

His eyes stayed locked on his opponent, waiting for him to move. 

“Leonardo...,” Usagi’s voice penetrated the fog but it sounded distant. “He’s dead.”

The pain and exhaustion caught up with Leo in a rush, dropping him to his knees. The swords in his hands clattered to the floor. The cry of a child sounded somewhere in the distance. It was the last sound he registered before blacking out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: The end of Chapter 7 was changed.

The sensation of someone patting his face pulled Leonardo from unconsciousness. “Leonardo?” Usagi’s voice echoed. It took some effort but Leo was able to open his eyes. After a few slow blinks everything came back into focus. 

“Usagi,” Leo choked out then swallowed hard. “Jotaro?”

“He came out of the back room as you passed out,” Usagi answered. “He is alright. A little shaken up, but alright.”

“Good,” Leo grunted as he pulled himself into a sitting position. The sounds of a child crying drew Leo’s attention to where the corpse of Kuroko lay. A turtle child, as black as Kuroko, knelt by the body. 

“He called him father as he ran into the room,” Usagi stated, following Leo’s line of site. 

Leo stood and looked around the room. Bodies and weapons covered the blood stained floor, none of the bandits had survived. Jotaro sat with a young fox girl on the throne, both of their eyes were full of shock but at least they were okay. 

Turning back to the small turtle, Leo couldn’t help the pang of guilt. As he moved, his body protested. His muscles were tired and every wound announced their existence but, once again, he pushed that aside. He would be able to rest later. There was still work that needed to be done.

The boy looked up as Leo approached. His golden eyes shone with tears and fear as he grabbed his father’s sword. “Stay away from me!” His arms shook with effort but he managed to hold the sword up. 

Leo stopped and asked, “Do you even know how to use that?”

“I stick it in you to make you bleed,” the boy answered, tightening his grip on the hilt. 

“You think you can kill me?” Sighing, Leo stepped towards the boy. The young turtle lunged but Leo was able to swat the blade aside, knocking it out of the boy’s hands. 

The boy gasped and scurried across the floor to get the sword. Reaching down, Leo grabbed the boy by the carapace and lifted him from the ground. “Don’t kill me,” the boy pleaded. 

“I don’t kill children,” Leo stated, carrying the boy away from the body. Placing him on the ground, Leo asked, “What is your name?”

“Kuroko, like my father,” the boy answered. He stood shaking as he looked up at Leo. 

“Where is your mother?” Leo asked, kneeling down to get at eye level with Kuroko in an attempt to appear less threatening.

“She was killed,” Kuroko answered, calming a little. “I was still an egg when it happened so never knew her.” He looked past Leo to look at his father’s body. “She loved my father and was killed for it. My brother’s and sister’s eggs were broken before my father was able to save me. They said his demon taint would pass on to his children.” Kuroko looked down at his hands. “And, they were right.”

“You are not a demon,” Leo soothed. “And, neither was your father.”

Kuroko’s bottom lip quivered. “Then why did you kill him?”

“I killed your father because he was a bandit who was threatening someone I cared for,” Leo answered. “He would have killed me if I hadn’t killed him and those two children over there would have been sold into slavery,” Leo said as he pointed to Jotaro and the fox girl. “What happened to your mother and your siblings was wrong but it does not excuse the path your father chose for himself. He chose to become the thing the people feared him of being.”

“What are you going to do with me?” Kuroko asked as he tried to hold back his tears. 

Leo looked over his shoulder at Usagi. “Would anyone be willing to take him in?”

The samurai shook his head. “Not anyone who would treat him well? It is likely that he will be killed.”

Turning back to Kuroko, Leo reached up and wiped away the young turtle’s tears. “How old are you?”

“Six,” Kuroko answered. 

“Stay right here,” Leo said as he stood. He made his way across the room to where Jotaro sat with the fox girl. “What’s your name?”

“Umō,” the young fox answered in a small voice. She was still in a mild state of shock.

Leo smiled, understanding enough of the Japanese language to know what Umō meant. She was white and fluffy. He could only imagine that as a kit she looked like a fluff ball of down feathers. “Do you know where you mother is?”

Umō shook her head. 

“Was she traveling with you and your father?” Leo asked. 

Umō shook her head again. “We lost her three years ago.”

Leo sighed. “Do you have any other family?”

Once again Umō shook her head. “Everyone got sick and we lost them.”

“How old are you?” Leo asked. 

“Five,” Umō answered. 

Picking her up, Leo turned to Usagi. “What will happen to her?”

“Orphans are left to beg on the streets,” Usagi answered. “If anyone does take her in, she would be nothing more than a slave… or worse.”

Leonardo didn’t need Usagi to elaborate on what was worse. Carrying Umō over to where Kuroko still stood, Leo addressed the two of them. “I can take you with me, if you like. My home is different than this one and you would have to stay hidden but you would have a home and food to eat. I will treat you like my own and train you in the ways of the ninja. But, it’s your choice.”

Kuroko scoffed. “So my choices are to live on the streets and be treated as a monster, become a slave, let them kill me, or go with the one who killed my father.”

“Yes,” Leo nodded. “Sadly it seems that those are your only choices.”

Tears filled Kuroko’s eyes as he struggled with his decision. “Some choices.”

“If you like,” Leo offered. “You can travel with us for a while until you make your decision.”

With a scowl on his face, Kuroko looked up at Leo and nodded. 

“Good.” Leo smiled. He then turned to Usagi. “Let’s collect our things and then inform the villagers about what had happened here.”

“Good idea.” Usagi walked over to pick up Jotaro. “You still have several months before you go home, Leonardo. Taking care of children on the road is no easy task.”

“I am aware of that,” Leo said. “I can’t leave them to that fate, Usagi. They are children around the same age as Jotaro. There is no way they could survive on their own. Wouldn’t you want someone to take Jotaro in if he was orphaned?”

“There are many children with the same fate in this world,” Usagi stated as a matter of fact. “Will you take them all in?”

Leo nodded. “If we encounter others and they are willing to come, I will.” 

Usagi’s ears dropped. “You cannot save them all, Leonardo. We do not have the resources to take care of them. We will be struggling as it is.”

“I will save who I can,” Leonardo insisted. “We will find a way.”

“I wish I had your sense of idealism.” Usagi sighed. “But I cannot afford it.”

They left the main hall and entered into the room where the stolen items were stored. Fortunately the items were well organized and it was easy for them to find what was theirs. Leonardo slipped the pendant back around his neck, sighing in relief as he tucked it under his kimono. 

Kuroko ran into the room and grabbed a small pouch of money. Clutching it to his chest, he looked over at Leonardo and bit his bottom lip. 

“How far do you think you will be able to go with that?” Leonardo asked without looking at Kuroko. “Like I said, you are free to leave whenever you want but I suggest that you don’t make any hasty decisions. You are young and you have no fighting skills. You know the way bandits are. How long do you think it will be before someone takes that from you? Even if you managed to keep it and managed to spend it all, what would you do after it’s gone?”

Kuroko groaned as he squeezed the pouch in his hands. He knew Leonardo was right. Whatever money was in the pouch would not last long.

Turning to face Kuroko Leo said, “I know you don’t like me but I promise I will take care of you. Coming with me is your best option.”

With tears streaming down his cheeks, Kuroko held the pouch out to Leo. 

Leo took the pouch and set it on the floor. “This is stolen money and should be returned to its rightful owner. We can’t take it.”

“The rightful owner is long gone,” Kuroko grumbled. 

Shaking his head, Leo placed his hand on Kuroko’s shoulder. “We cannot take this money. We will take only what is ours and we will let the villagers work out the rest.”

“They will just keep it for themselves,” Kuroko argued. 

“Then it will be their dishonor, not ours,” Leo replied. 

Looking away from Leo, Kuroko huffed and crossed his arms over his plastron. Leonardo had his work cut out for him. This child was not going to be easy. Fortunately, Leo knew how to handle stubborn. 

“Go get whatever is yours, and only what is yours,” Leo instructed. 

Kuroko dropped his arms to his sides. “My stuff is in my room,” he said as left the room. “I’ll be back… maybe.”

Leo then turned to Umō. “That goes for you as well. If you can find what belonged to you and your father, you can take it. But only take what is yours.”

“Okay,” Umō nodded and started her search. She returned with a bag and handed it up to Leo. “Are you taking me to my father now?”

Leonardo’s heart sank. It was foolish of him to think that she had understood. Kneeling down he looked Umō in the eyes. He wanted to tell her, he had to tell her but he was finding it hard to say the words. 

Usagi must have sensed Leo’s struggle and stepped forward. “The bandits have killed your father,” Usagi stated. “I am sorry.”

“They did?” Umō whimpered and tears filled her eyes. 

Leo nodded and picked her up. “But you’re not going to be alone. We’ll take care of you, if you want.”

Nodding, Umō wrapped her arms around Leo’s neck and started to cry. Kuroko came back into the room with a bag over his shoulder and his father’s swords in his hand. “I’m ready to go now.”

Leo walked over and reached out his hand. “May I see the swords?” When Kuroko hesitated, Leo said, “I will give them back. I just want to test their quality.”

Reluctantly, Kuroko handed the swords to Leo. “They’re my dad’s.”

“I know,” Leo said as he tested the balance of one. It was a well-made sword. Much higher quality than the ones Leo took from the bandits. 

“He didn’t take them from anyone,” Kuroko insisted. “They belonged to his father.”

“I believe you,” Leo said, handing the swords back to Kuroko. “I will teach you to use them, if you want.”

“Let’s go,” Usagi said, leading the way out of the room. “I need a bath and something to eat. Let’s find an inn.”

“They won’t let me in,” Kuroko said, following them. 

“Let us worry about that,” Leonardo said, patting Kuroko on his back. He knew that it wasn’t going to be easy but Kuroko was an orphan because of him. Leonardo was determined to make that up to him.


	9. Chapter 9

Leonardo held Umō and had her burry her face in his neck as they passed her father’s body. The bandits hadn’t had the chance to mount his head on a pike yet. It lay next to his body, his dead eyes looking up at them as they past. 

Leo pressed Umō’s head down. Her fuzzy snout and warm breath tickled his neck but his instinct to protect her kept him from cringing. She already knew her father was dead she didn’t need to see the gory remains. Usagi held Jotaro as they passed but didn’t shelter him from the sight. 

Kuroko stayed back but continued to follow them. Leonardo didn’t have to look back to know he was there. The steady footfalls and gentle sobs were enough. The urge to turn around and comfort him was almost overwhelming. It was still a delicate situation. If he came on too hard Kuroko could run off. Leo would never be able to forgive himself. 

It was when they reached the road that Kuroko rushed up to Leo to hide behind his leg. Trembling in fear, the young turtle held tight to Leo as they were approached by the villagers. It made Leo wonder what he had been through in his young life. How many times had he suffered from their superstitious hate?

Usagi took charge and moved a few steps forward. “The bandits have been defeated,” he informed them. “The stolen items are all sorted in one room. See to it that they are returned to their rightful owners, if at all possible. It would also be wise to send notice to the local magistrate and Shogun of what happened.”

One of the villagers pointed to Kuroko and asked, “When you defeated the demon, did that thing spawn from it?”

Leonardo brought his hand down to soothe Kuroko as he addressed the villagers. “There was no demon, only a man whose appearance was different. This child is innocent in all of this.”

“Has it put a spell on you?” another asked. “Is that why you are caring for it?”

“No!” Leo shot back. “HE has no magic at all. He’s just a boy who is scared and alone.”

Usagi held up his hands, silencing everyone before there could be conflict. “You do not have to worry about the boy. We will be leaving the village with him…, immediately.”

“He’s not going anywhere,” another villager shouted. “He has to pay for his crimes.”

“This boy has committed no crimes,” Leo shouted back. “His father was the criminal. I killed the one responsible for the crimes.” Leo pointed to the building behind him. “His body is in there. Do with it what you want but you will not have this boy.”

“Like I said,” Usagi said, “we are leaving. We do not wish to cause problems. Your town has enough to worry about with cleaning up the bandits’ mess.” Turning towards Leonardo Usagi said, “Let’s go,” before heading down the road, away from the villagers. 

Leo shifted Umō on his shoulder and ushered Kuroko ahead of him as he followed after Usagi. The young turtle didn’t need much encouragement. Fearing the villagers, he had no desire to stay back, behind Leonardo.

They left the village without looking back. Traveling down the path in silence, Leo watched Usagi and Kuroko for any sign of their mood. Usagi stayed quiet as he walked quickly down the path. The greater the distance they put between them and the village, the better. Kuroko looked just as eager to do it. 

After a while they slowed down and Leo was able to put Umō down. She and Jotaro ran along the path next to them, caught up in a game of tag. Kuroko had started to struggle with his things and did his best to keep up with Leo.

“Are you getting tired?” Leo asked, looking back at Kuroko.

“No,” Kuroko lifted his chin as he answered. He sped up to a trot in an attempt to catch up only to end up tripping. He fell on his face, his bag the only thing to cushion his fall against the hard ground. Usagi, hearing the fall, stopped and turned around but stayed quiet, letting Leo handle it. 

“There is no shame in asking for help,” Leo offered, reaching down to help Kuroko up. “Wouldn’t you rather be free of your burdens so you could run and play with the others? I won’t mind carrying your things for you.”

Getting to his feet, Kuroko shifted his bag on his shoulder and looked at Umō and Jotaro. “They don’t want to play with me.”

Leo tilted his head to the side. “Did you ask them?” 

Kuroko’s bottom lip stuck out and he shook his head as he looked away. “I don’t have to.”

“Why don’t you try,” Leo urged. “You never know. They might surprise you.”

“You’ll see,” Kuroko said, glaring up at Leo. “Everyone is going to hate me because of the way I look. They always have.” He handed Leo his bag and father’s swords. “I’ll show you.”

Leo stood and watched as Kuroko ran forward to catch up with Jotaro and Umō. Kuroko didn’t get the chance to ask if he could join them. Umō rushed up to him and placed her hands on his arm. “Tag! You’re it!” With a giggling squeal, Umō ran away. 

“Stay close,” Usagi instructed as Kuroko ran to try to catch Jotaro. 

A smile spread across Leo’s face. The children have all been through a lot and it was good to see that they were still able to laugh. They continued on their way across the open field. It was amazing at how the children managed to play while keeping up with them. 

Leo moved closer to Usagi and laughed. “We’re going to have our hands full when the children get tired.”

“You mean you will have your hands full, Leonardo,” Usagi said with a half-smile. “You wanted them you will carry them.”

“Fair enough,” Leo shrugged. “They are worth it.” 

“I hope they do not disappoint.” Usagi looked up at his friend. “Will you try to save every orphaned child we come across?”

“Hopefully there will not be that many,” Leo answered. “But, if I can help, I will.”

“There are thousands of children with stories similar to theirs,” Usagi said. “There is no way you can save them all. It is useless to try.”

Leo thought about the best way to try to get Usagi to understand. “On my world there is a story about a man who walked onto a beach early one morning to find the beach covered in starfish. He knew that once the sun was high enough that its heat would kill all of the starfish. He looked out along the shore and saw that there were thousands of them. It was then that he saw a little girl, picking up the starfish, one by one, and throwing them into the water. The man walked up to the little girl and told her that she would never get them all back into the water before the sun killed them. He said that what she was doing ‘didn’t matter’. The girl picked up one of the starfish, threw it into the water, looked up at the man and said, ‘It mattered to that one’.

“I know I cannot save all of the children in this world. There are children on my world who suffer the same fate or worse. But for these children, I can make a difference. I cannot change the world but I can make a difference in theirs. I will save the ones I can.”

Usagi sighed, “We will not be able to afford to take on any more. We are living the life of a pauper. There will be times we will barely be able to feed ourselves. You need to realize this.”

“I do understand. This is a hard land and that is one of the reasons these children suffer. It’s only for three months,” Leo assured him. “We’ll make it work.”

“I hope so,” Usagi said as he watched the children play. “I will admit that it is nice to see Jotaro playing with someone his own age.” With a slight chuckle he turned to Leo and asked, “What is your family going to say? Will they be alright with you bringing home two children?”

Leo nodded. “I believe they will be.”

They continued down the path for several more hours. The late summer sun was at its zenith but there was a cool breeze that kept the heat from becoming too much. It was a beautiful day. The air was clean and carried the sweet scent of flowers. 

They found a Nashi tree that was growing wild. Leonardo had never eaten the round pear like fruit before. Using a small knife they cut the rough skin away and sliced the fruit for the children. It was sweet and crisp, satisfying both their thirst and hunger as they continued to walk. 

As predicted, the children tired themselves out. Instead of making Leo carry both children, along with his bag, Usagi suggested that they all rest. The two seasoned warriors sat on either side of the three children with their backs up against a tree. The two fluffy white mammals were a stark contrast to Kuroko’s black scales. 

It was a welcome break. Leo had never done so much walking in his life. Usagi reached over the children and playfully shoved Leo. “Having these children is going to make doing other things a little difficult. I was hoping to have more time for just the two of us after we returned Jotaro to his mother.”

Leo chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll find time to do… other things. They were all asleep before we laid them down. They’ll be the same tonight.”

“Umō and Kuroko are going to be sad when they have to say goodbye to Jotaro in a week,” Usagi pointed out. 

“I’m more worried about Jotaro,” Leo said, looking down at the children. “At least Kuroko and Umō will have each other.”

“I’m not.” Usagi shook his head. “Jotaro will be happy to be back with his mother.” He reached down and caressed his son’s head. The small bunny’s ear twitched in response but otherwise he stayed asleep. 

“Parting will be hard on us all,” Leo observed. 

Usagi replied, “It’s for the best. He deserves better than this. Though, I am grateful for the time I have had with him.”

“He will remember it for the rest of his life.” Leo reached up and placed his hand on Usagi’s shoulder. “He may not know the truth but, at least, you are an important part of his life. He admires you.”

A sad smile turned up the edges of Usagi’s lips as he nodded his head. “I at least have that.”

The children napped for about an hour. Jotaro was the first to wake up and he wasn’t about to let the other sleep any longer. When Kuroko and Umō woke up, there was sadness in their eyes. It was going to take some time for them to get used to their new situation. They were still in mourning and Leo was only a kind stranger to them. At least they trusted him. 

The children continued to play as they traveled. It kept them occupied and helped the time pass. It was the first time that Jotaro hadn’t begged to be carried. The boundless energy of the trio left Leo envious. 

Along the path they came across a man, whose wagon had lost a wheel, spilling the contents of the wagon on the ground. The old lion was in the process of cleaning the scattered fruit from the path as he mumbled to himself. 

“Let us help you with that,” Usagi offered as Jotaro and the children set about picking the fruit up. 

“Thank you,” the old lion mumbled as he watched the children. “Make sure your little ones don’t eat any of my wares. I’m watching them.”

“They will not. I assure you,” Leo promised as he assessed the damage. The wheel was broken beyond repair, the wood split in half. “I am afraid that this cannot be fixed.”

“I noticed that myself,” the old lion nodded. “Damn my luck.”

“It can’t be all that bad,” Usagi smiled. “At least luck had us coming down the path and not someone who was unsavory.”

The lion let out a hearty laugh. “This is true, Ronan. I guess for that I should be grateful.”

“Where are you headed?” Usagi asked as the last of the fruit was returned to the cart. 

“Back to my home,” the lion answered, pointing down the road. “My wife will take this fruit and turn them in to some of the best little cakes you will ever have.”

“I love cake!” Umō exclaimed with a giggle. 

“We will help you,” Usagi offered and moved around the wagon. He grabbed hold of the handles and looked back at Leo. “I will pull if you keep it steady on its three remaining wheels.”

Leo nodded. “I think I can manage that.”

“I am called Kenta,” the old lion said as he started walking.

“I am called Miaymoto Usagi,” Usagi replied. “My companion is called Leonardo.” 

“What brings you out this way, Ronan?” Kenta asked. 

“My home village was damaged by the quake a year ago,” Usagi explained. “Many of the villagers were hurt and most of the crops were destroyed. So I agreed to take my friend’s son, Jotaro with me for a while so that he would not be using up their limited resources. We are on our way now to return him to his family.”

Kenta nodded his head as Usagi spoke. “I remember that quake. We felt it all the way out here. It must have been devastating closer to the source.”

“It was,” Usagi nodded. “This will be my first time back since it had happened. I promised Jotaro’s mother that I would return after a year. I’m sure his mother and father are eager to have him back. They must be beside themselves with worry.”

“It was good of you to take him.” Kenta looked back at Jotaro then up at Usagi. His eyes narrowed for a moment but he didn’t say anything more on the subject. “The sun is setting. Why don’t you stay with me tonight? We do not have much but there is a spare room and it is the least I can do for your help.”

“Thank you,” Usagi accepted. “It will be nice to be able to sleep indoors.”

“I guess it was fortunate for both of us that we happened to meet,” Kenta laughed. 

“The fates were looking out for us all,” Usagi agreed. 

Kenta led them to his home nestled among several large trees, some with branches heavy with fruit. The distant sound of a river could be heard, making Leo think he had stepped into a small part of paradise. 

“Momoka,” Kenta called out. “We have guests.”

The door to the house opened to reveal a lioness. Stepping out of the house, she walked up to greet her husband. “I told you that the wheel looked unstable.” There was good humor in her voice and kindness in her eyes. After kissing Kenta, Momoka looked down at the children and a smile spread across her face. “It’s been a while since there have been children in our home.” Kneeling down she addressed them directly. “Are you hungry?”

The three children nodded in excitement, remembering that Kenta had mentioned cakes. 

“Come,” Momoka said as she stood and turned back towards the house. “You can help me make dinner while the men put the fruit away and fix the wagon.”

As Momoka led the children inside, Kenta led the way to the back of the house where Leo and Usagi helped to sort the fruit. There was a mixture of plums and dates in the small wagon that needed to be placed in separate bins. 

Once they were done sorting, they set about replacing the wheel on the wagon. Leo couldn’t help but smile as he worked, finding peace in the simplicity of Kenta’s life. 

As they were putting the final touches on the wheel, Momoka stepped out of the house. “Wash up. Dinner is ready.”

“Yes, dear,” Kenta replied. 

Dinner consisted of rice, fish in broth, and pickled vegetables. It wasn’t much but it was satisfying and delicious. Not once did the lion couple mention Kuroko’s dark skin and they treated him no different from the others. As the evening progressed, Kuroko became more comfortable and opened up. He no longer flinched when someone reached for him.

For dessert, they each had small steamed buns filled with sweet date paste. The children practically inhaled theirs, leaving a sticky mess on their faces. 

After dinner they sat around the fire, sharing stories of their travels. Umō had curled up in Momoka’s lap and quickly fell asleep. Jotaro fell asleep leaning against Usagi. He had tried his best to stay up and take part in the conversation, like the grownups. To Leo’s delight, Kuroko had sat next to him and, as he grew tired, had placed his head on Leo’s lap. 

“To care for children that are not yours, shows that you have a good heart,” Momoka said as she caressed Umō’s fluffy head. “It isn’t a trait seen often in wandering samurai.”

“I was adopted,” Leo stated. He looked down at Kuroko and smiled. “My father was reluctant at first but quickly learned the joys that came with being a parent. I, on the other hand, am more that eager to be a father. I know it will take time for them to see me as such, if at all, but I will treat them as if they are my own. Just like my father did for me.”

“Children are rewarding.” Kenta smiled as he stood. “I need to go to bed or I will fall asleep where I sit. Let’s get you all settled into the spare room.”

The spare room was small and they had to make due with a few blankets for a bed. The children were placed together furthest from the door. Leo watched them sleep for a moment before joining Usagi on the makeshift bed.

He nuzzled Usagi. “I guess we won’t be doing any of those other activities tonight.”

Usagi chuckled lightly and turned towards Leo. “It would not be appropriate.”

Leo leaned forward to capture Usagi’s lips. “Too bad,” he said into the kiss. “I like the way to taste.” They continued to kiss while their hands roamed. Despite their desire to take it further, Leo and Usagi practiced restraint. 

The day might have started out hard but it had ended well. With a content sigh, Leo fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	10. Chapter 10

Travels  
Chapter 10

 

The scent of baking bread greeted Leonardo, rousing him from his sleep. He inhaled the delicious aroma as he stretched and came into wakefulness. When he opened his eyes he was met with the dim light of predawn. As Leo sat up Usagi shifted and stretched. 

Allowing himself a full yawn, Leo looked around the room to check on the children. All three were still slumbering on their mat, curled around each other for comfort and warmth. After the yawn, Leo was overcome with a full body shiver. Due to the openness of the land the nights and early mornings were cold, despite the hot days. 

Getting out of bed, Leo made his way outside to see if he could find a place to relieve himself. He spotted a pit toilet structure just beyond the tree line. He missed the simple luxuries of city living, like running water. Fortunately the pit was well tended and there wasn’t much of a smell. The dampness in the air and the smell of the decaying leaves were stronger. 

Leonardo then found a clearing near the house and started to move through his katas. The movements quickly warmed his body and sweat started to bead on his brow. By the time he started into the more complex forms, the children had come out of the house to watch. Umō and Kuroko sat in awe, their eyes wide as they followed Leo’s movements. 

Keeping his eyes on Leo, Kuroko leaned over to whisper to Jotaro, “He’s going to teach us how to do that?”

“Yes,” Jotaro nodded and a wide smile spread across his face. “You are lucky. He is one of the greatest fighters who have ever lived, along with my uncle Usagi, of course.” 

Kuroko tore his eyes from Leo and looked at Jotaro. “He’s not your father?”

“No.” Jotaro’s ears dropped. “Why do people keep asking us that?”

“Because you look just like him,” Kuroko answered flatly then turned to once again watch Leo. 

After breakfast they thanked Kenta and his wife for their hospitality and continued on their way. By midday they made it to a village where they rested and had lunch. As the children napped, Usagi showed Leonardo a few sword techniques and how to stand ready for battle. 

It was different from what he was used to. Where ninja were taught to stay light on their feet and move around, the samurai were trained to stand their ground and take a wide stance so that it was harder to knock them over. Given the amount of armor they usually wore, it made since. They wouldn’t be able to move swiftly covered in gear. 

They didn’t linger long in hopes of making it across the river before night fall. Recent rains had the river so flooded that the water was high enough to cover the bridge with about an inch of water. Sure footing was needed and they didn’t trust that the children would be able to cross without having their feet swept out from underneath them. Leonardo knew from experience that it didn’t take much to wash someone away. 

Usagi carried Jotaro across first, running fast through the swift moving waters. As soon as Usagi was safe on the other side, Leonardo lifted Umō and instructed Kuroko to stay put. It was a good thing that they didn’t allow the children to attempt the crossing. They wouldn’t have been able to move fast enough to beat the current. As soon as his foot touched the slicked wood, Leo could feel the pull. He had to angle his run in order to keep from getting off center. 

Leaving Umō with Usagi, Leo turned back for Kuroko. Fortunately the child did as he was told and didn’t try to cross the bridge on his own. After taking a few steading breaths, Leo set off across the bridge one last time. Kuroko held tight to Leo, his father’s swords pressed between them. 

When Leo reached the other side, they were all able to breathe a sigh of relief. He gave Kuroko a reassuring pat on the back before placing him on the ground. As they turned to leave, a large log slammed into the bridge, breaking it. They stood, watching in disbelief as pieces of the bridge were swept away by the fast moving waters. 

“It is fortunate that the bridge was not hit while we were crossing,” Usagi stated, his voice carrying a slight touch of fear. 

“Yes,” was all Leo was able to say in response. Kuroko and Umō both held tight to him and he ran his hands down the back of their heads for reassurance. That was too close for comfort. 

That night they found a hallow tree large enough that the three children were able to fit inside. After a thorough inspection for any living creature, they made a little bed for the children and had them crawl inside along with their bags. 

Kuroko laid his father’s swords down across the opening to help keep things from crawling in with them. It wasn’t perfect but it was something. The kids were asleep almost as soon as they lied down. Leonardo watched them sleep for a while and couldn’t help but feel blessed. 

Usagi came up behind Leo and pressed in close, kissing his neck. “We’re away from the main road and in a secluded spot. This is as good a place as any to continue some of your training.”

With a slight tremble, Leo felt his heart jump in anticipation. “I hope… this time… we can get to some of the more… advanced techniques.”

“Absolutely,” Usagi chuckled as his hand dipped down between Leo’s legs. Kissing Leo’s neck, Usagi ran his fingers along Leo’s tail. “I need you to stand up and bend over. Use the tree for support.”

Leo nodded and did as he was told. His stomach was in knots. Flirting, kissing and suggestive words came easy but when it came to actually doing anything Leonardo felt his confidence drain. It was unfamiliar territory for him and although he had seen porn he had no idea what to do or expect. 

Usagi loosened Leo’s kimono and then pulled down his hakama. “Relax, Leonardo,” Usagi soothed as he ran his hands along the back of Leo’s legs. “And try to keep those squeaks of yours to a minimal.”

Leo let out a nervous chuckle. “I’ve had plenty of experience doing that. When you live in place where sound carries, the last thing you want to do is announce to everyone every time you pleasure yourself.” Leo gasped and lifted his tail as Usagi slid his fingers along the underside of it. The simple touch and the anticipation had Leo’s penis hardening. The last thing he wanted was to come off as over excited but he couldn’t help himself. His arousal quickly became too much to contain and his erection emerged dripping, from his tail. 

Holding his breath against the churr, Leo gripped the tree harder. Usagi’s hand moved to grab hold of Leo’s penis and with all the buildup and anticipation, Leo lost it. Embarrassed, he leaned his head against the tree. 

“That’s alright,” Usagi whispered. “I wasn’t much different my first time.” His hand moved back to the base of Leo’s penis and he circled his finger along the cloaca. “If you hadn’t finished, you would still be hard and I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”

Usagi pushed his finger past the base of Leo’s penis and into his cloaca, eliciting a soft gasp of pain from the turtle. There was a cool sensation of something slick on Usagi’s finger. Leo had been so lost in his own nervousness that he hadn’t noticed when Usagi pulled out any form of lubricant. 

“Stay relaxed,” Usagi instructed once again, pushing his finger deeper inside. As he worked to stretch Leo, Usagi’s other hand played with the more sensitive parts of Leo’s penis. “I will admit,” Usagi confessed as he added a second finger. “It is likely that you will not get much pleasure out of this first time. Your body will need to adjust. However, the more we do it the less time it will take and you will start to enjoy it more. I wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.”

“I understand,” Leo grunted, fighting the urge to push against Usagi’s intruding finger. 

Usagi shifted, pressing closer to Leo. Removing his fingers from Leo’s tail, Usagi soon replaced them with the tip of his penis. “Relax,” Usagi husked.

“I’m trying,” Leo breathed. 

“I know it hurts and that you are nervous,” Usagi said as he caressed Leo’s shell. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”

Leo did as he was told and Usagi pressed past the muscle. Holding back the scream the caught in his throat, Leo leaned heavily against the tree. 

To give Leo time to adjust, Usagi didn’t move as his hands roamed Leo’s body. He worked at the tense muscles in Leo’s shoulders and neck then trailed his fingers down along his bridges. Finally he moved them back down to work on Leo’s flaccid penis. 

Eventually Leo’s body did adjust and the pain diminished. Usagi’s hands on his penis had it coming back to life and Leo was able to feel pleasure again. The presence of Usagi’s penis inside of him was a strange sensation but he wouldn’t call it unpleasant. In fact, the more time that passed the better it felt. 

When Leo moaned, Usagi let out a sigh of relief and then started to move. “There you go. Now it’s not so bad.”

“Yeah,” Leo panted. “It’s good.”

Leo’s body suddenly pulsated, causing Usagi to gasp and pause in is movements. “You’re so tight, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to last,” Usagi rasped out. 

“I’m okay,” Leo reassured him. 

Letting go of Leo’s penis, Usagi grabbed hold of his hips and started to thrust. With one arm still braced against the tree, Leo took over pumping his cock. With the pain gone, it started to feel amazing. He knew that he had just told Usagi that he was okay but part of him still hoped that Usagi would last long enough. 

Again Leo found himself holding his breath against the churrs and his body shook with the effort to keep himself up. Usagi swelled inside of him as his movements started to stagger and Leo could feel Usagi’s seed fill him. Knowing that his body had brought Usagi to his peak had Leo finishing as well. 

Usagi pulled out and sat back on his feet as Leo crumpled to the ground. They both sat panting as their bodies recovered from the exertion. As the numb bliss faded the pain reasserted itself, causing Leo to shift in discomfort. 

“You will still feel it in the morning,” Usagi informed him. “Again, it is something that your body will eventually grow accustomed to.”

“Something tells me that it is worth it,” Leo managed to chuckle. He turned to look at Usagi. “It wasn’t much of an orgasm but I did manage to have one.”

“Good,” Usagi said as he got to his feet. “I promise. It will get better in time.” He moved over to Leo and leaned down for a soft kiss. “Are you okay?” When Leo nodded in response Usagi kissed him again before moving off to pull is clothes back on. 

Once they were dressed they settled against the tree on either side of the opening. Leo rested his swords in the crook of his arm and willed his body to relax enough to sleep but to also stay alert. He had to admit that it was becoming easier to do with each passing day. 

The rest of the week passed without incident. During that week, Leo’s body had learned to adjust quickly to Usagi. The pain eased faster, the intensity of his orgasm increased and the pain afterwards no longer lingered. Best of all, Leonardo was no longer nervous and knew what he needed to do to please Usagi. 

When the day had come to return Jotaro to his home, it was bitter sweet. As they approached Usagi’s home village, Jotaro’s excitement over being home started to show. He pointed out different places of interest as the passed, like the locations of his favorite trees to climb. But at the same time they could tell that he was sad that he was going to have to say goodbye to Usagi. 

The look on the face of the first of the villager who came into view had Leo feeling a sense of foreboding. Instead of greeting them, the villager turned and ran into the village. Usagi’s ears fell and his pace slowed. Something was wrong. 

The villager returned with another one in tow. Grabbing hold of Jotaro’s hand, Usagi once again increased his pacing. “Ichiro, it is good to see you have recovered. I have returned with Jotaro, as promised. He is excited to see his parents. Are Kenichi and Mariko at home?”

Ichiro’s ears were down as he addressed Usagi. “We tried to send you a message.”

“I got no message.” Usagi reached down and picked up Jotaro as soon as they were close enough to Ichiro to stop. “What has happened?”

Ichiro swallowed hard and looked at the other villager before answering. He could not keep eye contact with Usagi. “Kenichi and Mariko did not survive their injuries. They died about a month after you left, from an infection.”

“They’re dead,” Usagi repeated. His voice was tight. Laying his head on Usagi’s shoulder, Jotaro started to sob quietly and Usagi’s hand came up to caress the young bunny’s head. 

“Yes,” Ichiro nodded. “I have taken over as magistrate. As my fist duty I sent my own son to find you. He returned only a few weeks ago, unable to deliver his message.”

“I understand,” Usagi said, nodding his head. “Where are they buried?”

“They are buried near your father, up on the hill,” Ichiro answered, pointing them in the right direction. “You will find that there are several new graves up there. Our village suffered and we have yet to fully recover. Our resources are still limited. We can scarcely feed ourselves.”

“Thank you,” Usagi bowed to him. “We will go pay our respects and move on.”

“If you need a place to stay for the night…,” Ichiro offered. 

Usagi shook his head. “You said that your resources are limited. We will not stay and burden the town further. We will travel to my old masters land and see how he has fared.”

“If you are speaking of Katsuichi, he is well and has returned, along with his student, to his home,” Ichiro informed them. “I believe that their small garden is doing well.”

“Thank you,” Usagi bowed again. 

“Would you like someone to escort you to the graves?” Ichiro asked. 

“No,” Usagi shook his head. “Thank you but I’m sure we will be able to manage. I remember where my father is buried.”

Leonardo followed as Usagi led the way up the hill. There were several new grave markers, showing the devastating effect of the quake. Some graves had fresh flowers resting against the markers. When Usagi found the grave markers of Kenichi and Mariko he dropped to his knees and placed Jotaro down. 

Jotaro lied down on his mother’s grave and openly cried. “I want to come home. I want to be with you.” As Jotaro sobbed, Kuroko and Umō lied down next to him, offering their comfort and understanding. Usagi bowed forward, placing his head on his hands as he mumbled a prayer. 

Leonardo knelt down next to Usagi and bowed his head. He had never met Mariko but he knew that Usagi loved her deeply. Having never suffered such a loss, Leo could only imagine the pain Usagi was feeling. 

When Usagi sat up, Leonardo did as well. They allowed Jotaro time to calm himself and then Usagi bowed once more with Jotaro to say their final goodbyes to Kenichi. 

“I was never able to thank you,” Usagi whispered. “Although we were rivals… you never let that get in the way of….” Usagi looked at Jotaro, who was saying his own silent prayer to the one he called ‘father’. Usagi ran his hand down Jotaro’s back. “It was a selfless act. Jotaro was blessed to have you for a father. Thank you.”

Jotaro sat up and wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked up at Usagi. “What do we do now?”

“We will figure something out,” Usagi answered, cupping Jotaro’s cheek. “For now we will continue on our way to my master Katsuichi’s home. It isn’t far and we should make it before sunset.”

With a slight nod, Jotaro reached out to Usagi. Without hesitation, Usagi lifted Jotaro and carried him away from the graves. They passed by the village and continued on their way back down to the path. There were no words Leo could say that would ease their pain, nothing he could do to help. All he could do was follow and be there for his friend.


	11. Chapter 11

They walked in silence, the only sounds were the gentle sobs from Jotaro. After about half a day’s travel, they reached Katsuichi’s hut as the sun was about to set. The old lion master was in his garden with his two students, collecting some of the ripe vegetables. 

He was everything Leonardo had expected him to be. Even from far away, Leonardo could see that Katsuichi was a noble warrior. He looked powerful, despite his age and Leo suspected that he would not be able to best the samurai in a fight. Part of him wished he could stay and learn from him. He was sure that Katsuichi had a great deal to teach to those who he deemed worthy to learn. 

Katsuichi looked up as they approached. “Usagi, it is good to see you. What brings you out this way and who are your traveling companions?”

“Hello, Master,” Usagi bowed as he walked up to the old samurai. “I had returned to my village to check on the progress of their recovery. Sadly things are still not well for them and we could not stay so we traveled here to see how you have fared.” Usagi turned and indicated Leonardo. “This is my friend Leonardo. He is from another world. We met at the Battle Nexus Tournament a few years ago. He is a strong and noble warrior.”

Usagi then looked down at his son, who had fallen asleep in his arms. “This is Jotaro. I had agreed to care for him after the quake to ease the burden on the village as his parents recovered. When we returned… we discovered that his parents had not survived their injuries.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” Katsuichi said as he looked down at Jotaro. “So this is Jotaro.” His eyes narrowed and he looked up at Usagi. “He is the son of your childhood love, is he not?”

“Yes,” Usagi answered. “She married Kenichi shortly after I left for my training under Lord Mifune.”

“She did not wait long,” Katsuichi stated. “I wonder why that is?”

“It was devastating when I received the message,” Usagi replied. “I nearly left Lord Mifune in my grief.”

Katsuichi hummed and then shifted his gaze back to Leonardo. “Welcome,” he bowed. “That is an interesting set of children you have with you, young kame. I’m sure the story behind how they came into your care is equally as interesting. Come, you all look tired. I will have one of my students prepare us a meal and you can share the stories of your adventures.”

“Thank you,” Leonardo bowed in return as Umō tried to stifle a yawn. Leo chuckled. “I think it is well passed their bedtime.”

“Then we will take care of that first,” Katsuichi said as he turned and signaled for them to follow. 

Kuroko’s eyes were drooping as they were led into the hut. His head bobbed as he fought to stay awake. Umō needed to be carried the rest of the way and was asleep by the time the tatami was laid out. Kuroko managed to crawl onto the tatami on his own and was asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. 

Leonardo laid Umō down on one side of Kuroko and Usagi laid Jotaro down on the other. Leo couldn’t help the smile that spread across his beak. He knew that they had faced great hardship but they looked peaceful as they slept. 

They quietly left the room and sat down to have some tea as Katsuichi’s students prepared them a meal. As they ate they told their stories. “Have you competed in the Nexus Tournament or were you there as an observer?” Katsuichi asked as he poured Leo another cup of tea. 

“I have competed,” Leo replied. “My brothers and I followed our father when he traveled through the portal. Though we were not expected, we managed to earn a spot in the tournament. Unfortunately I was targeted by the Daimyo’s son and was unable to finish. My brother ended up winning. Have you competed?”

Katsuichi nodded. “A long time ago.”

“Did you ever compete with a man named Hamato Yoshi?” Leo asked. “Or perhaps a rat names Splinter?”

“I had competed against Yoshi,” Katsuichi replied. “He was a great fighter. I lost to him, in fact. How do you know him?”

“I do not know him personally,” Leo answered. “He was my master’s master.”

Lifting his furry brow, Katsuichi tilted his head to the side. “It was my understanding that Yoshi came from a world inhabited with only humans and lesser beasts.”

“He did,” Leo nodded. “My father, my brothers, and I were what you would call lesser beasts. We all came into contact with… a strange substance that transformed us. We became like the people of your world. Sadly, because we are unique, we must stay hidden.”

“And you are going to take those children into that world with you?” Katsuichi asked. 

Smiling, Leo looked back over his shoulder in the direction of where the children were sleeping. “It won’t be an easy life for them but it’s better than what awaited them here.”

Katsuichi smiled as well. “It is a commendable thing you are doing.”

Leo shrugged. “I was adopted. I guess you can say that I’m following in my father’s footsteps.”

Once they were done eating, Katsuichi sent his students to a task. Leonardo had no doubts that it was because the old samurai wanted to speak with Usagi without them near. 

“Do you take me for a fool, Usagi,” Katsuichi said as soon as the students were gone. “I may have only one eye but I can see just fine.”

Usagi looked up at the old lion. “Master?”

“I can also do the math,” Katsuichi stated flatly. “You traveled to your home for a time before going off for your training with Lord Mifune. The boy is old enough.” He looked at Usagi in such a way that reminded Leo of the way Splinter would look at him when he knew Leo had been lying. 

“A bastard cannot be a samurai,” Usagi replied. His voice was almost pleading. 

“Ah,” Katsuichi nodded. “And having a bastard child would have brought shame on Mariko and her noble samurai name.”

“Indeed,” Usagi agreed. “She would have been forced to leave the village in shame.”

Katsuichi sighed. “I thought I taught you better than that, Usagi.”

“It was a momentary lapse of good judgment.” Usagi bowed his head, touching his forehead to the floor. “He cannot live the life of a bastard, he’s been through enough. Please, will you still train him and keep this secret. It is one that even he does not know.”

Shaking his head, Katsuichi looked down at Usagi. “If he is anything like you, it would be a shame to waste such talent.”

“So, you will still train Jotaro?” Usagi’s asked.

“I will,” Katsuichi sighed as he nodded. “I will keep the fact that he is your bastard a secret and train him.”

“What?”

They turned to see Jotaro standing in the doorway. There was a glimmer of fear in Usagi’s eyes as he stood and moved towards Jotaro. “What did you hear?”

Taking a step back, Jotaro’s eyes filled with tears. “Your bastard?”

“Let me explain,” Usagi pleaded, reaching out to him. Jotaro turned but Usagi was able to grab him before he was able to run off. 

“You lied to me,” Jotaro shouted as he struggled to get away. “You lied to everyone. Kenichi wasn’t my father.”

Usagi desperately fought to keep his hold on his struggling son. “We had to. I’m sorry but we had to. Kenichi saved your mother from the dishonor I brought to her.”

Hearing those words, Jotaro stopped moving and fell over crying. 

Usagi cradled his son to his chest and held him tight. “Though we were rivals, Kenichi clamed you as his son. He was a better man than me. I’m sorry I did this to you. But, you know that a bastard cannot be a samurai. If you want it, then we will have to continue the lie.” Tears fell from Usagi’s eyes as his kissed Jotaro on the head. Jotaro had stopped crying and was staring blankly out at nothing. “I loved your mother.” Usagi buried his face against his son as a sob broke free. “You are all I have left of that love. I would claim you as mine but… I want you to have a good life. Please understand.”

Jotaro’s small hand slid up and wrapped behind Usagi’s neck. “Okay.”

Usagi stood and carried Jotaro over to sit him next to Leo. Grabbing a bowl, Usagi filled it with some rice and vegetables. “You need to eat,” he stated, passing the bowl to Jotaro. 

With a numb nod, Jotaro accepted the bowl and set it in his lap. The chopsticks remained sitting across the bowl as Jotaro stared down at it. 

“Eat,” Usagi insisted, as he sat on the other side of Jotaro and ran his hand down Jotaro’s head. “You haven’t had much all day. You need your strength.”

Jotaro lifted the chopsticks and poked them down into the rice and vegetables. Lifting a small sliver of bok choy, he took a bite. As the food touched his tongue, his hunger took over and the next bite held more food. It wasn’t long before Jotaro was shoveling the food into his mouth as fast as he could until his bowl was empty. Once he was done, Jotaro placed the chopsticks across the bowl and held them out to Usagi. 

“Did you have enough to eat?” Usagi asked as he took the bowl. 

Jotaro slowly nodded in response, dropping his hands into his lap as soon as the bowl left them. He looked numb, like his was in a mild state of shock and Leo could understand why. The poor boy’s world had been turned upside down. 

Sensing Jotaro’s distress, Usagi picked him up and placed him in his lap. “Try to get to sleep. We will continue our journey in the morning.”

Jotaro curled up in Usagi’s arms and closed his eyes. Katsuichi watched as the young bunny fell asleep and smiled softly. “He will be a great samurai one day. I hope he’s not as pigheaded as you were,” Katsuichi scoffed. “But he will learn different life lessons as he travels with you. He won’t be a pampered child of the magistrate.”

“I was hoping that you would… take him now,” Usagi practically pleaded. 

With a wave of his hand Katsuichi struck down the notion. “He is too young. Bring him back in no less than seven years.”

“Seven years?” Usagi’s voice was scarcely a whisper. “I am a wanderer. Life on the road is no place for a child. It isn’t safe. ”

“I know,” Katsuichi nodded, placing his hand on Usagi’s shoulder. “But I already have two students and I am in no condition to take care of a child. You would not be the first samurai to travel with his son.”

“I understand,” Usagi nodded and then looked up to address Katsuichi. “We will be on our way in the morning. I can see that although your small farm is faring well you do not have enough resources to keep us long. Thank you for sharing what little you have with us.”

“I was good to see you again, Usagi,” Katsuichi replied. “Where will you go?”

“Niigata,” Usagi answered as he stood. “It is a few days journey from here. We should get there in time for the festival.”

Katsuichi nodded. “That will be good for the children’s spirits.”

It would be good for the children to have a day of fun after all the heartache they had been through. They had each lost so much. At the same time, Leo couldn’t help but feel a small amount of excitement. To be able to go to a festival is something he could only dream about before coming to Usagi’s world. He wondered what they were going to celebrate. Not that it really mattered. They could be celebrating a frog for all he cared. It was a festival. 

Leonardo and Usagi bade Katsuichi a good night and headed to their room. Usagi placed Jotaro with the others and then stood looking down at him. “I have damaged him.”

“He’ll be fine,” Leo assured him, placing a hand on Usagi’s shoulder. “Children are resilient.” He could tell that Usagi was fighting to keep his composure. “It’s alright,” Leo soothed. “It’s just you and me. You can let it out.”

Tears fell from Usagi’s eyes as he turned to look at Leo. “I loved her and now she is gone. She could be standing at the gates of hell because of me.” Leo didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t know Mariko so could not say anything about her character. “I should be there with her,” Usagi sobbed. 

Leo pulled Usagi into a warm embrace. “You are a noble warrior, Usagi. You have lived your life with honor. And Mariko had to have been an honorable woman for you to love her. I do not believe that one lapse in judgment would be enough to send either of you to the gates of hell. You were in love when it happened and you were blessed with Jotaro. He is not a result of dishonor but of love. No one gets sent to hell for love.”

Leaning into the embrace, Usagi wrapped his arms around Leo. “Thank you.”


	12. Chapter 12

Their journey to Niigata took them nearly three days. In that time, Usagi tried to move past his pain and continued to train Leonardo in the ways of the samurai. Kuroko and Umō did their best to cheer up Jotaro but he remained silent as they walked. Whenever he was asked a question, Jotaro kept his answers as short as possible. It broke Leo’s heart to see the once vibrant child so dejected and shut down. 

The closer they got to Niigata the more people they saw on the road going to the same location. Leonardo held Kuroko and Umō’s hands while Usagi carried Jotaro to make sure that they didn’t get lost among the many travelers. 

Niigata was bustling with crowds of people and merchants. People came out in droves to buy, sell, or negotiate. Leonardo was tempted to use some of the ryō to buy souvenirs to take home to his family but knew better. It wouldn’t have been a wise way to spend his money, knowing that they had the children’s wellbeing to consider. 

They bought some food from one of the vendors and Usagi gave each child a few copper coins so that they could play some games. The lively atmosphere soon had Jotaro smiling again as he ran through the crowds with Kuroko and Umō. “Stay together,” Usagi called out after them. 

“This is nice,” Leo said with a smile. 

“It is,” Usagi agreed. “My father used to bring me here when I was a child. He would come here for business. As magistrate, he would visit the perspective buyers and negotiate a fair price for the rice and plums that my village produced. Since he believed that I would be magistrate after him, I had to sit in on the negotiations to learn how to do it but once they were done, I was allowed to enjoy the festival.”

Leonardo glanced over at where the children were playing a dice game with several other children. They had to bet on whether or not the dice would come up odd or even. Kuroko placed a coin down and called out his prediction and the man lifted the cup that was covering the dice. Leo could not hear what was being said but judging by their reactions, Kuroko guessed wrong. 

As the man collected the dice and placed them in the cup another man walked up and lifted Kuroko by the carapace. Fear coursed through Leo as he rushed towards the children. Umō and Jotaro were yelling and kicking the large man who was holding Kuroko up at eye level. “I can see you, little demon.” By the slur in his speech, it was apparent that he had been drinking. 

“The only demon here is one who would hurt a child,” Leo shouted, grabbing hold of Kuroko. “Release him now!”

“I know this creature,” the man said and the scent of sake carried on his breath. His grip on Kuroko held strong. “Don’t let him fool you. He was a man the last time I saw him. He stole from me and had the audacity to sell it back to me.”

“That was not this boy,” Leo explained. “That was his father. I killed him almost a month ago and then decided to care for the child. You can go back to the town and try to claim compensation from them. They had laid claim to the bandits’ hoard. This child is not a demon. He is just a boy who looks different. Please, release him.”

“No,” the man replied flatly. 

Without warning, Leo punched the drunkard in the nose. The man staggered back, releasing Kuroko to hold his nose. “I will not let you or anyone else harm him,” Leo snarled, pulling Kuroko close. Kuroko was trembling in his arms and held tightly to Leonardo.

“I’ll make you pay for that,” the man growled as he looked down at his blood covered hand. He lunged at Leo but even burdened with a child the man was no match for Leo. Side stepping out of the way, Leo extended his foot to trip him and then elbowed him in the back. The man sprawled out in the dirt. 

“Don’t make me hurt you,” Leo warned. “Leave.”

The man glared up at Leonardo and looked as if he was about to attack again. Usagi stepped forward to stand next to Leo. “That would not be wise.” With a snarl on his lips the man stood. 

“You best watch yourselves,” the man said. “You anger the wrong people, your children will end up like Yagi’s brat.”

“Yagi?” Usagi gasped. “What happened to Gorogoro?” 

“Dead,” the man answered curtly. “Yagi was unable to keep him safe while fighting off a swarm of Komori ninjas.” 

Leonardo recalled the story Usagi had told him of the Komori. They were a clan of bat ninjas who had fastened blades to their wings. It was a fascinating way to use resources. But they were assassins and, if they were capable of killing a child, without honor. 

Usagi reached down and picked up Jotaro. “That is… unfortunate.” 

“Noble samurai,” the man scoffed. “These children would be better off being sold. At least they would have a better chance at survival.”

“I thought I told you to leave,” Leo snarled. 

The man glared at Leo one last time before turning on his heel. As he walked away the man with the cup shook the dice to get their attention. “Are you going to continue to play? If not, I kindly ask you to move so that others might sit.”

“Of course,” Usagi bowed slightly to him. “I apologize. We will be on our way.”

Kuroko held Leo tight and whispered, “I will always be seen as a monster.”

“Not always,” Leo soothed. He reached down to grab Umō’s hand and then followed after Usagi. “Life will be difficult but I will be here for you and I know my family will love you.” He looked over at Usagi who was holding Jotaro close. “Let’s not let this ruin our fun. We came here to enjoy ourselves.”

Usagi stopped and looked over at Leo. “You are right.” He looked at Jotaro and smiled. “Let’s have some fun.”

“Look,” Umō said in wonder as she pointed up to the sky.

It was the distraction that they had needed. Leo and Usagi turned to see a colorful, large kite fill the sky. It was bigger than any kite Leo had ever seen and looked to be at least twenty feet tall. In fact, it was so big it looked as if it could be used as a hang glider. Awe struck, Leo said, “That is amazing.”

“It is an Odako. It is good to see that he has built another one,” Usagi smiled and then turned to Leonardo to explain. “I passed through here a few years back. I got into some trouble with some cheating gamblers and accidently caught a ride on a large kite. Its builder didn’t sound happy about losing his creation but it saved me.”

“I want to ride on it,” Umō squeaked, jumping up and down in excitement.

Usagi looked down at her. “How about we fly a few smaller ones instead?”

“Okay,” Umō smiled, accepting the compromise. 

They walked through the crowds to a vendor who was selling small paper kites. They bought one for each child and stepped out into the open field. 

Leonardo looked out at the different kites in the sky. Some were simple ones that people had bought, while others were impressive works of art. Not too far away there was a group of men using their kites in an aerial battle. The control they had over their creations was commendable. It couldn’t have been easy to fight the air currents using only string. 

It was a new experience for Leonardo. Out of all the things he has done in life, flying a kite wasn’t one of them. He was amazed at the pull the kites had and it made him a little worried that Umō would have difficulties holding on to hers. As an extra precaution, Leo sat down in the grass with Umō in his lap and helped Umō fly her kite. She giggled in delight as they fought against the pull. 

After a while the children grew tired of flying their kites and reeled them in. They watched a short performance with jugglers and acrobats and then, as the sun started to set, found an inn for the night. After a meal of rice and pickled vegetables, they decided to get some sleep. Due to the high demand brought on by the festival, they had to share a room with several others. The children curled up on the floor between Leo and Usagi as the two warriors slept, sitting up against the wall. It was an arrangement that Leo was getting used to.

The next morning they had a breakfast of eggs and more rice. Usagi bought some rice balls and fruit and packed them away for lunch before leading the way out of the village. They followed the path for a few hours before they reached a fork in the road. 

“Which way?” Leo asked as Usagi came to a stop. 

“I do not know,” Usagi answered honestly. “I didn’t have anything planned beyond the festival. I was expecting it to be just the two of us and figured that we could simply let fate decide.”

“Well, we can still let fate decide,” Leo replied with a smile. 

“I suppose we could.” Usagi bent down to pick up a stick from the road and handed it to Jotaro. “Why don’t you decide which way we go.”

With a slight nod of his head, Jotaro accepted the stick. He then threw it up into the air, flicking his fingers to cause it to spin. When the stick landed it was pointing to the left path. Jotaro looked up at Usagi. “It looks like we are going that way.”

“Then that is the way we will go,” Usagi smiled and started down the path. “Let’s just hope that fate has something good in mind for us.”

That night they fished in a nearby river for their dinner and settled down to sleep under a large tree. Usagi sat and watched the children sleep. “I am worried about their wellbeing.”

Leo had a feeling that he knew what was on Usagi’s mind. “Does this have to do with what that drunkard said yesterday at the festival?”

“Yes,” Usagi admitted. “I have made my fair share of enemies. Jotaro’s life has already been placed in jeopardy because of it. I hire myself out for money so it is inevitable that I will make more enemies. I would be unable to live with myself if he died because of it. He has already suffered so much.”

“You can’t think like that,” Leo soothed. 

“You’re right,” Usagi agreed, settling back against the tree. 

Leonardo had no idea how to help soothe his friend’s turmoil. He looked down at Kuroko and Umō. In the short time they have been with him he has grown attached to them. He understood Usagi’s fear. There were dangers in this world, even more so for those who wandered the warrior’s path. As skilled as he was he knew that he had his limits. If he was overwhelmed he could lose them and he knew that it would tear him apart.


	13. Chapter 13

After a few days, the path led them to a small farming town. The fields were not of rice but an array of vegetables. A river ran along the edge of the farm land and a few men stood at its banks, casting nets into the slow moving water. 

They found an inn and had a supper of rice, a water plant that Leonardo was unfamiliar with, cucumber, and fish. Once they were finished with their food, they retired to their room for the night. Usagi and Leo went through a few lessons as the children watched.

It wasn’t long before Umō’s head started to bob as sleep slowly took over. Her head was soon resting on Kuroko’s plastron as he too started to nod off. Jotaro tried to fight it but sleep had his ears sagging and his eyes drooping. 

Usagi laid out one of the tatami and Leonardo got the children settled into bed. After several long days of walking and a few nights of sleeping on the ground, the children fell asleep fast and hard on the plush tatami. Leo didn’t think he would ever get over how sweet the children looked as they slept. 

Usagi continued to teach Leo in the small room, using the opportunity to go over close quarters’ techniques. Leonardo noticed that Usagi’s movements were stiff. When the lesson was over, Leonardo decided to rub Usagi’s shoulders to help him loosen up. It had been a rough week and Leo wanted to be as supportive as possible. It was his way of showing gratitude for the training. 

Usagi let out a long steady breath and then turned to look at Leo. Leaning back, Usagi tilted his head enough to capture Leo’s lips. “I need to feel something… other than sadness,” he panted in between kisses. 

Leonardo moved his hands from Usagi’s shoulders and trailed them down Usagi’s sides to his stomach. He could feel the muscles tighten under his touch as Usagi anticipated more. Dipping his fingers under the fabric of Usagi’s hakama, Leonardo sought out Usagi’s penis. He firmly gripped the emerging shaft, pumping it to a full erection. “What more would you like me to do?”

“Lie down on the other tatami,” Usagi instructed as he pulled away from Leo. “And prep yourself.”

After digging through the bag for the lubricant and removing his clothes, Leo did as he was told. Usagi removed his clothing and sat between Leonardo’s legs. While Leonardo slicked the inside of his tail, Usagi rubbed Leo’s thighs. 

Running his bottom lip between his teeth, Leo smiled up at Usagi and removed his finger. The wordless gesture was all the consent that was needed. Usagi leaned down and kissed Leo as he pushed inside. There was a brief moment of pain but it was nothing compared to the first time. Leonardo’s body adjusted, his muscles relaxing so Usagi’s penis could easily glide in and out. 

Leonardo held tight to the sheets and held his breath when he felt his throat close up in a churr. He didn’t want to wake the children with the strange noise or announce to the other people in the inn what they were doing. 

Usagi tended to Leonardo’s needs, stroking Leo’s cock in time with his thrusts. As good as it felt, Leonardo started to feel a little guilty. He was supposed to be making Usagi feel better not the other way around. Lifting himself up, Leonardo decided to get more involved in the sex than just lying there while it happened.

He managed lift up enough to engage in a sloppy kiss with Usagi and he lifted his hips, opening himself up more. It was a good thing that he was so flexible, and strong. He could feel Usagi’s smile in the kiss. Leo had to admit that it felt good to be actively involved in the sex. 

The simulation quickly brought Leo to completion and Usagi was soon to follow. They continued to kiss as they ground their hips together, milking the glorious feeling for as long as they could. Eventually Leo’s muscles gave out and he collapsed to the mattress. It had been incredibly exhausting yet satisfying sex. He just hoped that Usagi felt the same. 

Usagi smiled down at Leo and kissed him softly before getting up to clean himself off and get redressed. Leo stayed on the mattress for a while longer, waiting for the feeling of lead to leave his body. He watched Usagi get dressed. “Usagi?”

Usagi looked down at Leo. “Yes?”

“I… I was wondering.” Leo licked his lips as he thought of a good way to word his request. “I know that it isn’t a common practice in this kind of… relationship but I was wondering if it would be okay if we… switched places…. Just once. Since this is most likely the only sexual relationship I will ever have, I would like to know what it’s like.”

Usagi smiled as he finished tying his Obi. “I don’t see why not.” He looked over at the slumbering children. “However, you know that there is no reason for this to be your only sexual relationship.”

Leo shook his head. “They are too young.”

“I’m not implying that you enter into such a relationship now,” Usagi stated. “They will be of age one day. Or there is the option of your brothers. As I recall, you told me once that you were not related by blood.”

Again, Leo shook his head. “I will be raising the children as if they were my own. I will not be able to view them sexually. It just wouldn’t feel right. And, as for my brothers, I would be lying if I told you that thought hadn’t crossed my mind. I’m just not sure it would be something they would be willing to do.” 

Usagi nodded. “I understand. Your situation is unique.”

“That it is.” When Leo was finally able to push himself up he got cleaned and dressed. He looked over to see that Usagi was watching the children sleep. Leo walked over to him and went back to rubbing his shoulders. “Do you feel better?”

“A little,” Usagi nodded. “The sex helped.”

Leo kissed Usagi’s neck. “Good.”

Leonardo could feel Usagi’s stress melt away as he continued to relax under Leo’s touch. “We should get some sleep.” Usagi sighed contently. 

“Alright,” Leo said as they situated themselves on the tatami. Back home it would have taken him at least a half an hour to fall asleep. His mind would be running with thoughts and going over what he planned for the next day. But life on Usagi’s world was exhausting and he was asleep almost as soon as his eyes were closed. 

…..

In the morning they had breakfast at the inn. The serving woman brought their meal of more cucumber and rice. The suspicious way the server looked at Kuroko was not lost on Leo. He made a mental note to keep the young turtle close while they were in the village. If this was how life was for Kuroko’s father, it was no wonder why he turned out the way that he had. Kuroko must have also noticed because he stayed close to Leo as they ate. 

“Leonardo-sama,” Kuroko whispered. 

Leo leaned down to hear him better. “Yes?”

“Would it be… alright if… for now on… when someone asks…, that is if you wouldn’t mind…, you tell them that… I am… your… son?” Trembling, he looked up at Leo with wide eyes filled with fear. 

Softly smiling, Leo ran his head down the back of Kuroko’s head. “Alright.”

“So…,” Kuroko fidgeted in his seat. “Can I… call you father?”

“I’d like that,” Leo nodded. 

“Can I call you father too?” Umō squeaked, bouncing in her chair. 

“Yes,” Leo replied. “But I don’t think that anyone would believe that you are my daughter.”

Umō’s ears dropped. “Why not?”

“Because you are a fox and I am a turtle,” Leo answered. 

“Oh,” Umō accepted the simple answer. 

“But you can still call me father if you like,” Leo said. “The man who I call father is a rat. Even though he was not really my father, he was there for me in all the ways a father should be for a child. That is what is important. Family doesn’t have to be blood related. We can choose who we include. I would love to have you as my daughter and Kuroko as my son, even though we are not related by blood.”

“I would like that too,” Umō smiled and took another bite.

When they were finished eating the server walked up with a bushel of cucumbers. “If you plan on continuing the easterly path across the river, I suggest that you buy a few cucumbers before you go. The river is home to a few Kappa.”

Usagi pulled out a coin and handed it to the server. “We’ll take some cucumbers and a few rice balls to go.” As she left to fill his order Usagi looked at Leonardo. “If we manage to cross the river without encountering any Kappa at least we will have a nice lunch.”

“True,” Leo said as he finished off his meal. “Kappa in the river would explain why they farm cucumber.”

Usagi chuckled. “The fact that they grow cucumber would also attract more Kappa.”

“That makes sense,” Leo nodded. 

The server brought Usagi two bundles, one with the rice balls and the other with the cucumbers. Usagi thanked them for their hospitality and they left. As they walked past the town’s people on the path, a few of them stared at Kuroko. This made him nervous and he held tight to Leo’s hand. The poor child was more comfortable on the road than he was in any town. 

They continued down the path that cut along the fields and toward the river. There was a wide span of land between the fields and river. Leo figured that it was there to help prevent the people working from getting too close to the river where the Kappa could grab at them. If what he had learned about them was true, part of him hoped that they would meet a Kappa. 

They were fascinating creatures that looked like a cross between a turtle and a troll. Their heads have a bowl like crevice at the top where they hold water. They get their power from the water and if their ‘bowl’ were to ever lose its water the Kappa would be powerless. They were vile creatures, grabbing people and pulling them under water. But, a simple offering of cucumbers would be enough to grant safe passage. They were also noble creatures that kept their word and, if treated properly, were polite. 

Leonardo felt a little excited as they approached the river. There was a narrow bridge crossing its expanse. The bridge was a simple structure of wood and stone, and looked to be in good repair. There was no threat if it giving way under foot. Even if it did, the river’s flow was slow and would be easy to swim. 

Usagi stopped at the edge of the bridge and waited. He looked over his shoulder at Leonardo. “I will cross first and make the offering if the Kappa appear. You stay with the children.”

Leonardo nodded in agreement and ushered the children behind him. As Usagi crossed the bridge, Leo watched the water for any sign of movement. The surface was almost still, the water moved so slowly. 

Usagi made it about half way across the bridge when a pair of Kappa jumped from the water to stand on either side of the bridge, trapping Usagi. They were ugly creatures that had long limbs and hunched over. Usagi remained calm and pulled the bundle of cucumber from his bag. 

He held them out for the Kappa to see. “I have an offering so that we may pass.”

The Kappa on their side of the river looked over its shoulder and eyed Leonardo. A shiver ran up Leo’s spine as it turned to face him. It pointed a long thin finger at him. “You are not of this world.”

Leo’s heart pounded. How could it tell? Was it angry that he was from another world? Nodding his head stiffly, Leo replied, “That is right. I am visiting from another dimension.”

The Kappa started to cackle, the sound so frightening that it caused the children to whimper and Umō to cry. She held tightly to Leonardo’s hand as she tried to stay hidden behind him. Jotaro and Kuroko also held tight to Leonardo as they stayed behind him. The sad fact was that in their desperation to seek protection, they hindered Leo’s movements. If the Kappa attacked, they would hold him back. It was a fact that caused fear to build inside of him. 

The other Kappa leapt past Usagi to join its partner. They both eyed Leonardo for a moment before turning to look at each other. “We promised not to tell ‘any creature of this world’,” the first one said. “He is not of this world. We would not be going against our word.”

The other one thought for a moment. It would occasionally look at Leo and it felt as if its muddy eyes were burning into him. “You’re right,” it finally hissed. It looked down at the children. “Cover your ears.” It then turned to look back at Usagi. “You as well. What we have to say cannot be heard by your ears.”

Reluctantly, Usagi did as was requested and the children did the same. The first Kappa moved closer to Leo. The expression on its face looked pleading. “The farmers stole our child,” it whispered. 

Nerves faded as Leo realized that he was looking in the eyes of parents who were concerned for the wellbeing of their stolen child. They were bound to their verbal contract that kept them from seeking help. He was their only hope. “Why would they do that?” he found himself asking in disbelief. 

“To insure that we would stay in the river,” the first one answered. “We are not allowed to harm any of their people but we have to terrorize travelers so that they will buy their overpriced cucumbers. They made us promise not to tell any creature of this world.”

“Then, you are in luck that fate had us travel this way,” Leo replied. Fate had a strange way of working out that way. “I will get your child back.” Leonardo signaled to Usagi. When the samurai rabbit got close enough Leo said, “I’m going back into the town.” He looked at the Kappa. “Will they be safe here with you?”

“No harm will come to them,” the second Kappa promised. 

With a slight nod, Leo turned to head back down the path. Usagi rushed up behind him and grabbed Leo’s kimono. “Where are you going and why?”

Leo looked over his shoulder at the Kappa and then at Usagi. “I don’t know if I am allowed to say. But it is something that needs to be done.”

When Leonardo entered the town he walked up to the nearest resident, a female pig. “Where is the Kappa child?” He made sure to keep his tone level but serious. He didn’t want there to be any mistake in what he intended. When the woman shook her head, Leo leaned in closer. “I will not leave until I find it and I will find it.”

She backed away a few steps before she turned to run. 

Leonardo then decided to climb up a wooden structure and stood on the platform to look over the town. Ringing the bell at the top, Leonardo waited for some of the town’s people to come out. Slowly they emerged from their homes and businesses to see who was ringing the bell. 

They looked up at Leonardo in confusion, mumbling to each other. One stepped forward and shouted up at Leonardo, “What are you doing?”

Leonardo looked down at the man and simply stated, “I am here for the Kappa child.”

There was a moment of surprise in the man’s eyes but he quickly tried to hide it. “I don’t know what you are talking about. Where did you hear such nonsense?” 

“The Kappa in the river told me,” Leonardo answered. 

“Impossible,” the man said on the verge of anger. 

“No it is not.” Leonardo smiled down at the town’s people. “You made them swear not to tell any creature of this world about what you had done. I’m sure you phrased it like that for a reason in an attempt to prevent loopholes. You never expected someone to travel here from another dimension. Did you? I am not of this world.”

Leo didn’t want to hurt the people. As despicable as they were for taking a child just so they could sell more cucumbers, he had no desire to fight them. So he decided to frighten them instead. Tapping into his mystic energy, the blue glowing pattern started to appear on his body. “I am a demon.” It was technically true. He pointed at the man. “Bring me the child. Now!”

Some people stood in shock, looking up at him in terror while others ran off, screaming for the safety of their homes. The man backed up slowly and ran off down the road. Leo kept his gaze on the people as he waited. He knew that he had to have been a frightening sight for them to see. This wasn’t going to help in keeping people from believing Kuroko was a demon. 

It wasn’t long before the man returned with the Kappa child in tow. “Here. Please don’t hurt us.”

Leonardo jumped down from the tower and landed in front of the man. The Kappa child looked to be no more than three or four years old. Leo looked the man in the eyes as he took the child’s hand. “I’m not the one you have to worry about. It will be the Kappa who will decide what to do with you.”

Leading the child by the hand, Leo left the town. He followed the path back to the river and the Kappa child obediently followed. Looking down at it, Leo noted that it only hand a small amount of water in its head. It had to have been weak. So Leonardo bent down and picked it up. 

When they arrived at the river the pair of Kappa ran up to great them. “Let me see him,” one of them demanded. As Leo handed him over, tears filled the eyes of the Kappa. “Look how much he has grown.”

“Let’s get him in the water,” the other one said, ushering its small family back towards the river. “Thank you,” it said to Leonardo before disappearing under the water. A moment later one of them reemerged and tossed something to Leonardo before dropping below the surface once again. 

Leonardo was able to catch the small item with ease. Looking down at it he saw that it was a jade carving of a turtle. He could feel the power that was held inside of it, though he had no idea what it was. 

Usagi looked past Leonardo at the town. “They are in for some hard times.”

Leonardo glanced over his shoulder and nodded his head. “They brought it on themselves.” He picked Umō up and grabbed Kuroko by the hand and then led them to the bridge. “I have no sympathy for people like that. Now let’s get out of here before they decided to come after us. I might have let them believe that I was a demon.”

Usagi picked up Jotaro and followed after Leonardo. “Fate finds a way to make what is wrong, right again.”


	14. Chapter 14

Leonardo was nervous and rightfully so. It had been three days since Usagi had agreed to let Leonardo ‘top’ and they had finally found the time to do it. They had found a large cave that cut deep into the side of a cliff and decided to stay there for the night. There was a natural fissure in the rock wall that led to the surface. There were scorch marks along the wall and someone had taken the time to dig into it to make a proper fire pit. They were obviously not the first people to use the cave as a temporary home. 

After clearing the cave off all debris, Usagi built a small fire. He made sure to thoroughly check the wood before using it to make a fire. They still had a few cucumbers left and they had found a fig tree. It wasn’t much but at least they weren’t going to bed on an empty stomach. 

The children were asleep near the back of the cave. They were safe. They were secluded. It was dark. Leonardo couldn’t think of a better opportunity. Leonardo expressed his desire by coming up behind Usagi and placing a soft kiss on his neck. With a soft chuckle, Usagi turned his head to kiss Leo’s lips. 

Nerves mixed with excitement had Leonardo’s hands trembling. His mind raced with a barrage of what ifs. He didn’t want to be bad but he also couldn’t expect himself to be all that good since it was his first time. He just hoped he didn’t lose it the moment he stuck it in. 

Usagi pulled away from Leo and started to disrobe. Leonardo had to hold his breath against a churr and he swore that his face was on fire it was so flushed. As soon as Usagi was undressed, he lay down and beckoned Leo to join him. 

Leo’s stomach was in knots as he took off his clothes and knelt down. Usagi smiled up at Leo, running his hands along Leo’s thighs. “Relax,” he soothed. “Get down here and kiss me.”

Leonardo moved over Usagi and attacked his mouth with a deep kiss. By this time Leonardo had gotten used to the feeling of Usagi’s tongue and lips. It was familiar and it helped to soothe his nerves, a little. Breaking the kiss, Usagi handed Leo a small canister of an oil based lubricant. Leo swallowed hard past the thick lump in his throat. 

Leo dipped his finger in the oil and then got to work prepping Usagi. As excited as Leo was, Usagi was calm. He lay on the ground with his legs parted as he gently caressed Leo’s arm. Leonardo pushed his thick finger inside of Usagi, causing the samurai to softly grunt. Leo’s finger was nearly as thick as Usagi’s penis so it couldn’t have been comfortable. His prep work must have felt to Usagi like he was being penetrated without any being done.

But, Usagi didn’t complain. He relaxed his body and let Leo stretch his muscles. Usagi’s hand moved down to run his fingers along Leo’s erection. “You will not be able to fully penetrate.”

“I understand,” Leo nodded. He feared hurting Usagi just to get a few moments of pleasure out of it. He feared doing more than just hurting Usagi and damaging him. What if he lost control and in the heat of the moment pressed in as deep as he could go? Something like that could kill Usagi. Those thoughts started to quell his desires and he started to second guess whether or not he should be doing this. 

Usagi must have noticed his hesitation. “Are you alright?”

Leo pulled his finger out of Usagi and sat back. “As much as I want to know what it’s like, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It will be alright,” Usagi soothed. “If I thought for a moment that you lacked the self-control for this I never would have agreed to it.” Reaching up, Usagi hooked his arm behind Leo’s neck and pulled him back down. “Come here.”

Leo moved over Usagi and settled between his parted legs. His penis throbbed, demanding that its needs be met. Gingerly, Leonardo pushed his tip against Usagi’s entrance. It took all of his control not to thrust inside. He slowly rocked his hips and made his way past the tight opening. 

The warm, slicked muscles were snug against Leo’s penis and it felt amazing. So much better than anything he had ever experienced before. He continued to work himself in deeper until Usagi gasped. “That’s deep enough. Pull back a little.”

“Okay,” Leo panted, easing back a bit. His penis was barely half way in. He had to make sure that he didn’t go any deeper. Even though his thoughts were a little incoherent Leonardo figured that a good way to keep from going too deep was to close Usagi’s legs. 

Usagi was a little confused at first but once he realized what Leo was doing he helped to get them properly situated. It took some shifting but they managed to do it without needing for Leo to pull out. Leo straddled Usagi at about mid-thigh. The soft fur on Usagi’s muscular legs felt amazing. 

The position worked. Leo didn’t have to worry about going too deep and was able to lose himself to the feeling. Taking a moment to settle down, Leo focused on his breathing. He didn’t want to lose it right away. Once his throbbing penis settled down Leo started to move. It was pure bliss. 

Usagi looked lovingly up at Leo gently stroked his own penis. Leo was so lost in his own sensations that it never occurred to him to do it for Usagi. The samurai rabbit didn’t seem to mind. 

Leo’s thrusts staggered and shortened as he climaxed. Every muscle tensed and his body shook. The feeling lasted for a while and his mind fogged in the surge of pleasure. When it faded Leo collapsed next to Usagi, completely exhausted. As his mind cleared, concern for Usagi took over. “Are you okay?”

Though his body was heavy Leo sat up and looked to make sure that the juices he left inside of Usagi came out free of any red streaks. “I’m fine,” Usagi reassured him. 

He was fine but Leo could see that he wasn’t satisfied. So without hesitation, Leo leaned down and took Usagi’s penis into his mouth. As he sucked, Leo inserted his finger deep enough into Usagi to find the prostate. Once he found it Leo circled his finger with gentle pressure. 

Usagi moaned and bucked his hips ever so slightly. Leonardo felt a slight swell of pride over being able to please his more experienced friend. Usagi ran his fingers over the back of Leo’s head and grunted out his climax. His inner walls pulsated around his finger and Leo wished he could have felt it against his cock instead. Just the thought of it made his groin ache for more but he was too tired. 

Leo and Usagi settled in for the night, making sure that their weapons were nearby just in case. 

The next morning they were traveling down a path through a sparse forest when they heard someone complaining up the road. Usagi slowed, stopped and then looked back down the road. “I wonder if there is a way around.”

Leo stopped and looked at Usagi. “Why?”

“I recognize the voice,” Usagi answered. “I am not sure I want that kind of trouble right now.”

“Who is it?” Leo asked looking back towards the sound of the argument. 

“Gennosuke,” Usagi replied with a hint of dread in his voice. “Any time I meet up with him, trouble follows.” Leo remembered quite well how difficult the samurai rhinoceros could be. It still irked Leo to think about the time Gen walked around New York in plain sight, despite being told it was not safe. 

“Who’s he talking to?” Leo asked, still looking up the road. “Sounds female.”

“Probably Kitsune,” Usagi said. “They have been traveling together for a while. They both lower their morals a bit when it comes to obtaining money. She’s probably getting sick of him by now.”

Leo couldn’t help but chuckle at the tone of his friend’s voice. “Would it really be so bad?”

“He does owe me money,” Usagi mused out loud. 

“I would like to test what I have learned against him,” Leo smiled. “Maybe watching me spar with another samurai will help you see if I am doing anything wrong.”

“Fine,” Usagi sighed, giving in. “I will hold you responsible for any travesties that happen.”

Leo laughed, “I can live with that.”

They continued down the road and it wasn’t long before Gen and a fox woman who Leo could only assume was Kitsune came into view. Gen was down on his knees trying to unsnag Kitsune’s kimono from a branch. “You should let me cut it.”

“Don’t you dare,” Kitsune warned. “This is my favorite kimono.”

“It’s your only kimono,” Gen snapped back. 

“My point exactly.” She glanced up and saw them approaching. “Usagi!” she waved. “Who’s your friend and where did you find such adorable children?”

Gen’s ear twitched and he stood to look at them. “What’s this?” he gestured to the children. 

“A long story,” Usagi replied. 

“We can talk about it over lunch,” Kitsune said with a bright smile. She was a beautiful woman. Her kimono was tight enough at the waste to show how slender she was and opened enough at the top to show her ample breasts. Her black hair was styled in a neat bun at the top of her head and was adorned with an ornamental comb. But her eyes were what was the most alluring. They were almond shaped, deep pools of chocolate that sparkled with her smile. “That is if I can ever be free of this bush.”

“Let me see if I can help,” Leo offered. He walked past Gen, who snorted his disapproval but otherwise said nothing. Leo knelt down to assess the damage. “I have to mend my own gear all the time and I have even sewn my father’s kimono a few times. So I know my way around fabric.” His nimble fingers managed to untangle the kimono from the branches without any damage. “There you go. Now you are free, my lady.”

“Lady,” she repeated with a chuckle. “That’s new. Where did you find such a delightful young man?” Kitsune asked Usagi. 

“I met him during the Nexus Tournament,” Usagi answered. “He is a skilled warrior.”

When Leo stood Kitsune planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for helping me.”

“My pleasure,” Leo smiled, feeling himself flush and Gen once again snorted in protest. 

As they made their way down the road to the next village, Kitsune gushed over Umō. “You are such a beautiful little girl.” She nuzzled the young fox. “I miss the days my fur was this fluffy.”

Gen and Usagi stayed towards the back and Usagi told Gen about why Leonardo was on their world and how they came to be traveling with children. “So they are all orphans,” Gen said dolefully. “That’s rough.” Usagi had left out the fact that he was Jotaro’s father. 

“Leonardo plans on taking Umō and Kuroko back to his world,” Usagi added. “They will have a far better life there than they would have here.”

“True,” Gen agreed as he scratched his chin. “Life can be hard and short for a child without someone willing to care for them. The little black one would have been killed for sure.” Leonardo wasn’t too fond of Gen’s bluntness. 

“Where are you headed?” Usagi asked. 

“Tracking down a bounty,” Gen answered. “We’re heading to the next town where I’m gonna leave Kitsune so she will be safe and then I will get to work.” He gave Usagi a sidelong glance. “Would you like to join me? We can split the bounty. Leonardo and the kids can stay in town with Kitsune.”

A sly smile spread across Usagi’s lips. “Are you sure you want to leave Leonardo alone with Kitsune? They seem quite fond of each other.”

Gen once again snorted and Leo felt himself flush. He looked back at the two samurai. “What are you implying, Usagi? I would never do anything that would be viewed as dishonorable.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Usagi chuckled and then looked at Gen once again. “I will have to decline. I am training Leonardo and it wouldn’t be right to waste what little time he has here by going off and leaving him to watch children while I help you collect a bounty.”

“I could watch the children,” Kitsune offered. “Leonardo can go with you. They will be perfectly safe with me and I can show them some tricks with my tops.”

“What is this bounty?” Usagi asked. “I don’t want to decide until I know what we will be dealing with.”

“A man wanted for treasonous actions,” Gen said and held out the bounty notice. “I was asked by a lord to take care of it.” Usagi took the notice from Gen. As he read it Gen continued to explain. “The man, Saito, is in a village near the border of Lord Kazu’s province and a long way from his estate. Saito has overthrown the magistrate of that village and has taken over. He is cruel and has a gang of thugs around him. The one villager, who managed to get away and get a message to Lord Kazu, said that Saito is stockpiling weapons.”

“To what end?” Usagi asked. 

Gen shrugged. “The messenger said that one of the other villagers claimed to have seen a serpent in robes befitting a lord, visiting Saito.”

Usagi looked up from the document. “Do you think it could be Lord Hebi? His lands are near here.” 

“It’s only hearsay,” Gen said, shaking his head. “But if it is, it can’t be good. As you well know.”

Leonardo inwardly sighed. He remembered Lord Hebi from when the Ultimate Drako used the Time Scepter and sent him here to Usagi’s world. Lord Hebi was trying to capture Lord Noriyuki. His plan was to take over Noriyuki’s province. Leo remembered how well the large snake could fight despite not having any arms.

Usagi had later told Leonardo that Hebi was loyal to Lord Hikiji, who seeks to overthrow the Shogun. It was against Lord Hikiji that Usagi fought when he served Lord Mifune. When Lord Mifune was killed, Usagi became a ronin. 

“So what do you say?” Gen asked Usagi. “Do you want to help?”

“If Lord Hebi is involved then this is greater than a dispute a Lord has over who runs a small village in his province.” Usagi looked up at Leonardo. “What do you say?”

Leonardo looked at Kitsune as she snuggled with Umō. “If you believe that Kitsune can be trusted with the safety of the children then I wouldn’t mind going with you two.”

“I guess it’s settled,” Usagi said, handing the letter back to Gen. “We will go with you to help.”

“That’s fine,” Gen grunted. “Just don’t get in the way, kid.”

Kid? Leonardo felt a mild surge of anger and had to bite back his response. It wasn’t worth it. He would get his chance to show Gen just how great a fighter he really was. Leo wasn’t going to get in the way. He’s experienced more than Gen ever could have. The old samurai was going to have to fight to keep up.


	15. Chapter 15

Leonardo hugged Umō and Kuroko tightly. “You two listen to Kitsune. She is going to take care of you until I return.” They had made it to the small village where they were going to leave Kitsune with the children while the three fighters went after Saito. It would be relatively safe for them here and Kitsune had enough money to keep them in an inn for as long as the others were gone. 

“Please, make sure you come back,” Kuroko pleaded. Life would be hard if not short for the young turtle without Leonardo taking him in. It was understandable why he was so scared. 

“I will,” Leo soothed. “I have faced worse than what we will be going up against, and won. I will be able to survive this.” He gave the children one last squeeze before standing up. “The three of us will keep each other safe.”

Usagi said his goodbyes to Jotaro and, like Leo, was also reassuring his son. Being that Usagi was the last family Jotaro had, the parting was just as frightening for him. The three children had all lost so much already. It would be hard for them to handle any more. 

Nothing was worse than long, drawn out goodbyes that were full of tears. The longer they waited to leave the harder it would be. So they kept it short. Gen led the way with Usagi and Leo following behind. 

The town that Saito had taken over was another day’s walk away. According to Gen, they should reach the town by night fall. Leonardo couldn’t help but smile. He was in his element in the dark. 

Gen had taken them down one of his infamous shortcuts. Usagi was mumbling something about Gen’s shortcuts tending to be treacherous and as a result taking longer as they shimmied along a narrow path on the side of a cliff. The edge was a sheer drop of several feet. Even after years of running and jumping across the tops of buildings, Leo was suddenly feeling a resurgence of his fear of heights. 

But, he wasn’t about to let his fear show. He couldn’t. Gen would never let him live it down. Or worse, Gen would tell him to go back to the other town to watch the kids with Kitsune. No. He could do this. 

“If I die from your shortcut, I will haunt you for the rest of your life,” Usagi stated dryly. 

Gen snorted out a laugh, “Fair enough.”

“Would you really want to subject yourself to that kind of torture in the afterlife, Usagi?” Leo quipped, earning himself a hearty laugh from his friend. 

Gen glared back a Leo but didn’t respond directly. Instead he said to Usagi, “So you took Leonardo as a student? It is good of you to agree to teach him the superior fighting techniques of the samurai.” A sly smile spread across his face. “I hope you are getting something good out of the deal to make it worth it.” 

Leonardo felt himself flush and he was about to retort but a look from Usagi kept him from saying anything. “I find that teaching Leonardo to be quite rewarding and I have learned from him as well,” Usagi stated calmly. 

“There are quite a few benefits for Usagi,” Leo stated as a matter of fact. “I have shown him a few techniques used by ninja. Knowing how a potential enemy fights is a good way to prepare. It is less likely that he will be taken by surprise in the future. Though there are some techniques that are similar, it is actually kind of fun to learn the ones that are different. Fortunately the transition into the different fighting style has been relatively easy.”

The conversation had distracted Leo from his fears and he was able to walk along the path without thinking about the danger. When they were finally off the path and on solid ground, Leo was relieved and secretly hoped that Usagi would insist on a different route back. 

The light banter continued as they walked but died off when they got closer to the village. The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon and Leo felt himself slip into ninja mode. It took all that he had not to take up the lead. Gen and Usagi would not appreciate if he had. It was their world, it was Gen’s job. Gen would take the lead. 

“We need to get in without anyone knowing,” Gen stated. He looked at Leo. “Do you think you could sneak your way in there? See what’s going on?”

Leo nodded. “That wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Be careful,” Usagi warned, holding Leo back. “Lord Hikiji has ninja in his employ.”

“I will,” Leo assured him and then dashed off for the shadows. 

Ghosting over the wall, Leo never made a sound. He came within striking distance of several people but remained unseen. Torch light was weak and provided more than enough cover from him to move through the town. He came upon a heavily guarded building and he knew where he needed to go. 

Distracting the guards, Leo slipped past them to get inside. This was definitely the building he needed. Crates were piled high along the walls and a man he believed to be Saito was standing among them, talking to one of his men. Moving closer, Leo listened in on the conversation. 

“Lord Hebi will be here within the week to check on our progress. Things better be in order when he does or I will have your head.”

Leo had heard enough. He knew where the weapons were and that Saito was indeed working with Lord Hebi. After a quick run through the village, he came up with how he was going to get Gen and Usagi inside. It wasn’t a well-fortified village by any stretch of the imagination, even with the armed guards. 

He made his way back over the wall. Usagi and Gen were standing nearby in a cluster of trees. He was sure that it was their attempt at hiding but to a trained ninja they were easy to spot. He emerged from the shadows next to Gen. “I found a way in.” 

Surprised, Gen and Usagi drew their swords but Leo had moved to stand next to Usagi. He had to fight to hide the smile that threatened his lips. “Sorry,” Leo whispered. “I had forgotten that you are not used to my approach.”

“A stunt like that could have gotten you killed,” Gen warned. “You’re lucky that I realized that it was you and stayed my sword.” 

“Follow me,” Leo said, ignoring Gen’s warning. 

He led them to where he knew that they could go over the wall with some noise without being heard. Usagi might have been able to manage a quiet landing but there was no way Gen would have been able to. Not with his size and… lack of grace. 

Once over the wall, Leo led them through the village. He didn’t dare get them as close to anyone as he had when he was on his own. It took them longer but he eventually got them to the heavily guarded building. They were crouched down in the shadows as they decided their next step. 

“I hate all of this sneaking around,” Gen complained. 

“It’s better than rushing in without knowing what we are up against,” Usagi countered. “That building is guarded by ten men and most likely more inside.”

“I counted twenty five in all guarding the building and the village, keeping the villagers in,” Leo confirmed with a nod of his head. “That’s including the ninja I spotted hiding in the rafters. He looked feline.”

“A Neko Ninja,” Usagi said. “They work for Hikiji.”

“So what do we do?” Leo wanted to know. 

“What I was hired to do,” Gen stated with a grunt. “I cut Saito’s head off and deliver it to Lord Kazu. With him gone the villagers will be free to report what has been going on to the Shogun.”

“Very well,” Usagi nodded and then indicated with his hand for Gen to lead the way. “This is your bounty.”

“Wait.” Leo held up his hand. “We’re not alone.”

Gen turned to look at him. “I don’t hear any….”

Before Gen could finish speaking, Leonardo leapt forward and pushed Gen to the ground. The dart that was meant for Gen struck the ground next to Gen’s head. “Move, Usagi,” Leo hissed. Usagi jumped out of the way in time for a second dart to hit the spot he had just been occupying. Leonardo was on his feet and chasing after the assailant before Gen could gather his thoughts. 

He knew there was just one of them and he had to keep him from getting to his master with the news of what was going on. As Leo chased the ninja, Saito exited the building. “I’m off to bed,” he told the guard. 

Despite the overwhelming odds, Gen made his move. Leo had to admit that, for his large size, Gen was fast. He was a fierce fighter and, with Usagi, started to dispatch the guards. Once again, Leo was reminded that in this world it was either kill or be killed. An enemy was not allowed to live. So instead of wasting time chasing the other ninja, Leo ended it with a well-aimed dagger. 

It didn’t hit exactly where he wanted it to. No matter how hard he tried, Leo knew he would not be as good as Raph when it came to hitting a target. He would never admit it to Raph’s face though. 

When Leo returned to the others he drew his swords and joined in the fight. These weren’t seasoned warriors but poorly trained thugs relying on their numbers to compensate for their lack of skill. He loathed the idea of killing but did what needed to be done. He didn’t think about what had led them to this moment or that they had families. He tried not to look in their eyes as the life drained out of them. 

Saito tried to run in the confusion of the battle but Gen wasn’t going to let him get away. There was too much money attached to that head. Most of the guards were already dead so it was easy for Gen to break away and give chase. Saito didn’t get very far before Gen caught up to him so he turned to face Gen. Their swords clashed as Gen lunged into his attack. 

Once the last of the guards was dead, Usagi and Leo stood back to watch the fight, ready to step in if needed. But it was not necessary. Saito was a great fighter but Gen was better. There was a reason he was invited to participate in the Nexus Tournament. 

Gen managed to cut Saito across his stomach, deep enough to bleed but not be eviscerated. With a cry of pain, Saito dropped to his knees. As he was hunched over Gen took his chance and beheaded him. 

A crowd of people had gathered to watch and several of them gasped at the sight. Gen lifted the severed head from the ground and turned to one of the villagers. “I need some salt and a bag to put this in.” The villager nodded and hurried off to get the requested items. Gen then turned to another. “Send a messenger to the Shogun to let him know what had happened here. I will take the head to your Daimio.” Dumbfounded, the villager could only nod in response. 

As Gen conducted his business, Leo and Usagi decided to check out the supply of weapons. There were several crates full of various weapons but Leo was glad to see that none of them were explosive in nature. If this world was like his, Leo knew that the moment guns were introduced, Usagi’s way of life would quickly be over. 

Gen joined them in the building. “The villagers are going to load the weapons up in carts and take them to one of the other villages. They don’t want to be here when Lord Hebi shows up.”

“I don’t blame them,” Usagi replied. “I have no desire to be here either.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” Gen said, heading for the door. “I got what I came for. None of this,” he waved his hand at the crates, “is any of my concern.”

With the severed head packed in salt, they headed out of the village to meet back up with Kitsune and the children. As they walked down the path Gen looked at Usagi and asked, “Will you be traveling with me to collect the bounty?”

Usagi shook his head. “I never work with you for the bounty. You can pay me back with a drink the next time we meet up.”

“Deal,” Gen smiled, leading the way.

Gen started down one path but Usagi went off down another. “I will not be taking your shortcut again, especially not in the dark of night. I’m sticking to the main road.”

Gen snorted. “Fine, long ears, have it your way.” He fell back to walk next to Leo. “Thank you.” Their eyes met and Gen nodded while he clapped Leo on the back. “You did good, kid. Your less honorable way of fighting proved to be helpful back there.”

“Thank you,” Leo accepted the backhanded compliment with good humor. It was the best he was going to get out of Gen.


	16. Chapter 16

Leonardo was eager to get back to the children, his children. When he came to Usagi’s world he never expected to have his deepest wish fulfilled. He has children. He will love them like Splinter loved him and he will train them. Returning to this world would always be an option for them but they will do so with knowledge and skills from his world. 

When they returned to the village, the innkeeper told them that Kitsune had taken the children out for some fresh air. Instead of going out to look for them, the trio sat down to quench their thirst. They had sake and rice balls filled with pickled vegetables. Leonardo took mental notes on everything he ate in Usagi’s world and he planned on attempting to replicate them when he returned home. 

They had just finished their meal when Kitsune returned with the children. Giggling in delight, Umō raced to Leo when she saw him. Scooping her up in his arms, Leo hugged and kissed the little ball of fluff. Jotaro and Kuroko were a little more reserved in their greeting but they could not hide the joy on their faces. 

“Kitsune-sama showed us some tricks with her tops and fans,” Umō said as her little tail twitched with excitement. “She let me spin a top.”

“My top spun for longer,” Kuroko said. 

“That’s good,” Leo said, kneeling down to get eye level with Kuroko. “I’m glad that you had a good time.”

“What’s in the bag?” Jotaro asked, pointing to the bag carrying the severed head. “It kind of smells.”

“It’s nothing you need to see,” Usagi answered as he picked Jotaro up. “Why don’t we all go take a bath. I think we all can do for a cleaning.”

Leo leaned towards Kuroko and whispered, “Do you want to be carried or would you rather walk?” Kuroko was at that age between ‘I can do it myself’ and ‘I need you’ so Leo left the decision up to him. After a moment of thought, Kuroko lifted his arms and Leo picked him up before standing. With a child in each arm, Leo followed Usagi back towards the baths. 

It was good that the inn was all accommodating for travelers. The ‘baths’ were more like outdoor pools, like the hot springs but here it was not private, though no one else was using them at the time. They removed their clothes first and washed them in a large basin that they filled using the water from the pool. Usagi had something with him that he used to help remove the blood from his clothes. Whatever it was, it worked well. 

There were bamboo poles available to hang the clothes to dry while they washed. They had rung the cloth out as much as they could before slipping them over the bamboo to help the drying process along. 

They first cleaned themselves of any loose dirt, using the cleaning supplies provided. Usagi took the time to show Leo some methods in keeping Umō’s fur clean. Once clean the all moved to the pool and got it. Umō stayed on Leo’s lap while Kuroko swam. The young turtle took to the water like Leo expected he would. Jotaro tried to keep up but tired quickly due to his more erratic movements. 

They were soon joined by Gen, who washed and hung his clothes before washing himself and getting into the pool. Though he was curious, Leo tried not to look at Gen’s naked body too much. From the few glances he managed, Leo discovered that Gen, much like Usagi, was ‘set up’ like the animal he was and hidden within a pouch. And he also had a tail. Leo made a mental note to tell Mikey; the youngest turtle had always been curious. 

“The girl could’ve bathed with Kitsune in the women’s bath,” Gen said as he settled himself in the water for a long soak. “This is nice. A cool bath on a hot day is always welcome.”

“I’ve been away from her long enough,” Leo replied and kissed Umō’s head. “There’s no harm in having her in here with us.” After a moment of thought Leo ventured to ask Gen, “If, hypothetically speaking, you and Kitsune were to get married, would you be able to have children together?”

Gen lifted an eye ridge. “That’s a silly question. Of course we would.”

“You would?” Leo found that hard to believe. He shook his head as he tried to imagine a child of a rhinoceros and a fox. “What would it look like?”

“They would either look like their mother or their father,” Usagi explained. 

So it’s like a Disney movie, Leo thought to himself. “All the boys would be rhinos like Gen?” He looked at Kuroko and then down at Umō. If he really wanted to, he could tell people of this world that they were his. He could say that he had children with a fox. 

“Or a fox,” Gen replied. “It all depends on what the gods will it to be. It doesn’t happen all that often.” He pointed to Leo. “However, egg layers like yourself cannot breed with those of us who give live birth.” Well there goes that possible lie. 

Leo had no choice but to accept that explanation. Without the technology of his world, the science behind why and how it happens could not be known. Leonardo was sure that if Donny was here he would want to run tests on people and their children to find out. He would not rest until he could explain it all out in detail. 

The thought of his brother made Leonardo a little homesick. He wondered what he brothers were doing without him. He hoped that they weren’t getting into any trouble. 

The sun was high and the day was warm so it didn’t take long for their clothes to dry. They exited the pool and toweled off then rested on the warm rocks around the pool for a moment to allow those with fur to dry. 

The next morning, they said their goodbyes to Kitsune and Gen and continued on their way. Leo had to be honest with himself. Since they had all shared a room that night, it made him uneasy to be sleeping in a room with a severed head. Vengeful spirits were a real thing in this world and Leo had no desire to be confronted by one. Even though he hadn’t directly killed Saito, he took part in it. So Leo was glad when they parted ways. Gen could have the bounty all to himself so long as Leo didn’t have to spend another day near that severed head. 

Training and walking took up the majority of their days. Leo was amazed at how hospitable people were with travelers. They could ask for shelter at any dwelling and most of the time they got it. The most people would ask in return for food and a place to sleep would be news from other towns or stories from their travels. Of course Leo and Usagi would help out whenever they could. 

Weeks passed without much of anything happening beyond the struggles of weary travelers. But then, as they were settling down for the night, the thundering sound of a horse at full run came towards them. To run a horse on an uncertain road, when it was nearly dark was not a wise thing to do. The fact that someone was doing it now could only mean trouble. 

When the horse came into view the distant sound of others soon followed. There were two riding the horse that was fast approaching; a samurai and a young girl. When the samurai spotted Usagi he stopped the horse long enough to place the girl on the ground near him. “Please, Ronin, see to it that she gets safely to Lord Noriyuki.” 

Usagi gave a tight nod. “You have my word.”

Without waiting any longer the samurai kicked his heels in to the horses flank and was off. As he rode away, Leo could see that there were arrows sticking out from the samurai’s back. Usagi ushered the girl deeper into the tree line where they hid. 

They sat in silence, deep in the shadows as the pursuing riders passed. After a while, Usagi spoke to the girl. “Are you alright?”

With tears in her eyes, the young girl nodded her head. Leo looked her over in the dim light of the setting sun and saw that she was a panda. Her robes looked to be that of someone who was of a higher class. They looked to be cumbersome and didn’t give her much space to move her feet as she walked. Her long hair was tied in the back at the nape of her neck. She looked to be no older than twelve. 

“What is your name,” Usagi asked her. 

“Nalani,” she replied. 

“Do you know why those men were after you?”

She nodded her head. “My father is Lord Hiroto of the Kazusa Provence he seeks and alliance with Lord Noriyuki. I have been sent to be his bride. Those men were sent to prevent the alliance.”

Leonardo bit back the question, ‘aren’t they a little young,’ and reminded himself that this was a different time. If Noriyuki was old enough to be the head of a clan, he was old enough to wed. If she was going to be presented as a bride for Lord Noriyuki, then that would explain the way she was dressed. 

“We will see to it that you get safely to Lord Noriyuki,” Usagi told her with a smile. “I happen to know him quite well.”

“Thank you, Master Samurai,” the girl said with a sigh of relief. “I am sure by now that my father has been made aware of the attack on my caravan. It is almost certain that he believes me to be lost. The faster you are able to get me to Lord Noriyuki, the sooner he can get a message to my father that I am okay.”

“We will get you there as fast as we can,” Usagi assured her. “We will be on foot so it will take us a few days. We will also have to be on the lookout for those who had attacked you in the first place. It is not going to be easy.”

“I understand,” Nalani nodded. 

To be safe they traveled further away from the road and they slept that night, hidden among the trees. At least they tried. Nalani was restless. Leo was certain that it was because she had never slept outside in her life. She is the pampered daughter of a Lord. He couldn’t blame her for it, though. The poor thing had been thrust into a terrifying situation. Her only hope at not being captured was a samurai she had just met. 

He looked down at her as she shifted once again. They were going to have to do something about that kimono. They weren’t going to get anywhere if she was going to take tiny steps the whole way. And if danger were to come up, how would she run? She might protest it but that kimono was going to be cut. 

The next morning Leo stood in front of Nalani and said, in no uncertain terms, “We are going to need to cut that kimono.” He looked her over and then added, “And, maybe remove a few layers.”

She looked down at herself and then over at Usagi as if to plead that he argue. Shaking his head, Usagi agreed with Leo, “The way you are dressed will only slow you down. We will make better time if you can walk more freely.”

“I’m going to walk?” Nalani asked, causing Leo to let out an exasperated sigh. 

“We have no way of carrying you,” Usagi explained before Leo could say anything. “You will have to walk.”

She started to remove her obi. “You can cut what is underneath but, please, do not cut my mother’s kimono.”

“Alright,” Usagi agreed and assisted Nalani out of the cumbersome top layer. As she tied her obi back around her waist, Usagi folded and bundled the kimono. Leonardo then knelt down and used a small knife to cut the bottom to just below her knees. Usagi then handed her the bundled kimono. “You will have to carry this as well.”

With a slight nod of her head, she accepted the bundle. 

“We need to stay off the main road,” Usagi stated. “Whoever attacked your caravan will be looking for you. Fortunately I know this area well enough to get us to Lord Noriyuki’s.”

“Lead the way,” Leo said as he collected his things.


	17. Chapter 17

Although they had told Nalani that she would be walking, it wasn’t long before she was being carried up on Leo’s back. He couldn’t take her whining anymore. He used some extra cloth to make a sling and carried her as if she was a baby. 

Pampered little princess. He had never met someone so weak in his life. How could someone born into the warrior class be so spoiled? He tried not to blame her. It was her upbringing, her culture. She was not a warrior. She was meant to unite two clans and breed warriors. Leo actually felt sorry for her. 

Leonardo was grateful for the strength of his shell and its ability to carry Nalani’s weight. Although it was uncomfortable, he could only imagine how unbearable it would have been for Usagi to carry her for so long. Usagi’s spine simply didn’t have as much support as Leo’s shell. 

She had fallen asleep, which was a blessing. She had spent the majority of the time complaining. If she wasn’t complaining she was crying. Even little Umō was getting tired of it. The amount of noise Nalani made was dangerous, considering that there was someone sending men after her. 

Fortunately, despite the strain of carrying Nalani and the lack of a decent sleep, Leo was able to keep his mind focused on the surrounding area. Using his ki Leo could sense when someone was approaching with plenty of time to hide before they got close. 

Because of their extra burden and the seeming constant flow of bandits, they had to stop often. It was slow going but they were making progress. 

There was plenty for them to eat, so long as you knew what you were looking for. Before coming to Usagi’s world, Leo had read several books on foraging and studied up on edible plants indigenous to Japan. He had found edible roots for them to chew on as they traveled or waited. They weren’t the best tasting things in the world but it was better than having a rumbling tummy. And, the chewing occupied the children’s mouths, keeping them quite. 

There were also a few fruit and nut trees along the way. Leonardo had even had the forethought to bring a nutcracker with him in his supplies. It was a much neater way to get at the nut than smashing it with rocks. 

Water was also plentiful, given that it fell from the sky nearly every day. At least the storms were light summer rains and not full on thunderstorms. It didn’t do anything to improve anyone’s mood. 

After a few days Nalani fell silent. She looked miserable and disheveled, and she clutched her mother’s kimono to her chest like it was the most precious thing to her. 

“Maybe we should try capturing one of them,” Leo thought out loud as they were setting up for the night. Nalani curled up on the small blanket that had been padded with dead leaves and used her mother’s kimono as a pillow. The poor thing looked defeated. “I’m sure Lord Noriyuki would like to question them, find out why they were trying to capture Lady Nalani and who sent them.”

“I’m sure you are right,” Usagi said with a sigh. “I have considered this myself. However, I believe that traveling with one of the bandits would only prove to be more difficult and slow us up even more. There’s no telling how many more are out there. It’s best to simply get Lady Nalani to Lord Noriyuki as soon as possible.” 

Leonardo nodded in agreement. “I understand.” Then he added, “Maybe we will get lucky and one will come our way when we are close to Lord Noriyuki’s home.”

Usagi looked at Leo and smiled. “If that is the case then I will let you have the honors of capturing him.”

“How much longer?” Nalani asked, staring off at nothing as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m hungry. I itch all over. I need a bath.”

“We’ll be there soon,” Usagi soothed, running his hand over her tangled hair. 

“It will be nice to get off the road,” Umō agreed as she curled up with Jotaro and Kuroko. “I’m itchy too.”

“Once we get to Lord Noriyuki we can all have a nice, long, warm bath,” Usagi promised. “I’m sure he will also be so grateful that he will give us a warm meal and a soft bed to sleep in for the night.”

“That sounds nice,” Kuroko yawned. “I hear Lords grant boons to men who help them and they are bound by honor to do them.”

“As long as the request is within reason,” Usagi said with a soft smile on his face. “Now go to sleep.”

The closer they got to Lord Noriyuki’s estate, the more men they came across. Due to the dwindling number of trees, it was getting difficult to hide from them all. Leonardo could see how much Usagi hated taking the children on such a dangerous mission. He worried about their safety. The fact of the matter was, no matter how good they were if Usagi and Leo were overwhelmed by numbers the children could be hurt or worse. That was Usagi’s greatest fear. 

It took them over a week to travel through Lord Noriyuki’s land to his estate. When the walls came into view, Leonardo felt himself smile. The only problem with being so close to the walls was that there were more people around. Now it was harder to tell if someone who meant to do them harm was around, hiding among the field workers. 

Part of him hoped the assailants were out there. He desired to capture one so that they could get some answers. He wanted to know who was responsible for all of this misery. 

“I do not want Lord Noriyuki to see me like this,” Nalani said from her perch on Leo’s back. 

“You can run ahead with the children, Usagi,” Leo suggested after a moment of thought. “The young lord knows you and by the time I reach the gates with Lady Nalani you can make sure there are ladies waiting to assist her. We should be safe this close to the gates.”

“Good idea,” Usagi nodded and reached down to pick up Umō. “Be careful, Leonardo. You will not be truly safe until you are within the gates.” He gestured to the boys to follow. “Let us hurry so Lord Noriyuki has time to prepare for Lady Nalani’s arrival.” The two boys trotted after Usagi to keep up. 

Carrying Nalani on his back, Leo kept alert to everyone around them, ‘looking’ with his ki for anyone who was moving towards them. He reached his ki out as far as he dared. If he put any more power into it, he would start to glow. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten the people out in the fields. 

Leo made his way towards the estate at a steady pace. He wanted to give Noriyuki and his estate plenty of time to prepare for his bride to be. He was nearing the gate when he noticed that one of the many, who were out in the fields, was walking towards them and they were close. He recognized the ‘feel’ of the man from before. He was definitely one who was searching for Nalani. 

Leonardo didn’t look towards the man nor did his step didn’t falter. He continued as if he didn’t sense anything. 

The one stalking them was good, well trained. He tried to suppress his ki and moved casually across the fields behind them but Leo was better. He waited until the would be assailant was close enough to strike and then Leonardo’s sword was in his hand, out stretched behind him with the tip a hair’s breadth from the assailant’s face. 

Nalani gasped as the sudden movement and Leonardo’s sword stayed in place as he turned slowly to meet their attacker. The man stayed frozen in place, his own sword quivering. “You are coming with me,” Leonardo stated, keeping his voice steady and low. His tone left no room for argument. “Cooperate and you will live long enough to answer any question Lord Noriyuki has. Refuse and you will lose your head before you take your first step.”

The sword dropped from the man’s hand and his eyes never left the tip of Leonardo’s blade. “Please don’t kill me, demon.”

For a moment, Leonardo was confused. His skills should not have come off as demonic. Impressive, yes, but not demonic. Then he realized that he was glowing. Great, he thought to himself. He shifted his gaze to the closest field workers and saw the fear on their faces. This was not his intention. 

“I am no demon,” Leo said, raising his voice so that it carried. “Simply trained in the ways of the mystic arts.” He gestured with his sword, which seemed to be also glowing. Leonardo would have been proud of the fact that he could extend his ki into his weapon if it weren’t for the situation. “Come, you lead the way through the gates.”

Leonardo forced himself to relax so that he would stop glowing. Usagi’s world was proving to be more stressful that he had thought. Or maybe there was something about Usagi’s world that made it easier to access his powers within. With his sword at the bandit’s back, Leonardo followed him through the gates of Lord Noriyuki’s estate. 

The ladies moved back with their hands covering their mouths as guards ran forward. As soon as the prisoner was secured, Leo put his sword away. “I believe he was with the group who attacked Lady Nalani’s caravan. I swear I’ve seen him searching for us in the woods a few times. Lord Noriyuki will probably have a few questions for him so make sure he stays alive.”

The guards nodded and led the bandit away, leaving Leonardo with the women sent to attend to Nalani.

Kneeling down, Leonardo gingerly lowered Nalani from his back. The ladies rushed around him to collect Nalani and whisked her away. They were most likely taking her to the baths. Leo felt a slight pang of envy at that. 

“Leonardo,” Usagi said as he walked briskly towards Leo. “What happened? The people are calling you a demon.”

Leo felt himself flush a little. “I might have glowed a little bit.”

Usagi looked at his friend, raising a furry brow. “Glowed?”

“I’ve told you about my mystic training.” Leonardo nodded. “I must be more tired than I had thought. When the man attacked…, I… it just happened on its own. I didn’t mean to.”

“It should be alright,” Usagi said. “I have vouched for you. Technically you are a demon, however.” Leonardo must have made a face because Usagi started to laugh. “Well, you are. You are not from this world and were brought here by magic.” He turned and led Leo into the estate. “Come. Lord Noriyuki would like to see you.”

“I look forward to seeing him again,” Leonardo said as he followed after Usagi. “I also look forward to a nice hot bath and a warm meal.”

“In time,” Usagi said over his shoulder. “First we must formally present ourselves to Lord Noriyuki.”

“Where are the children?” Leonardo wanted to know. 

“They are with some servants, getting baths, something to eat, and some rest,” Usagi answered. Once again Leonardo felt a slight pang on envy. 

Formalities were vastly important in Usagi’s culture. Even though they were battered and dirty they still had to present themselves. They had to bow, act as if they did not want to do anything more than to sleep, and ask of nothing unless they were offered a boon. 

So they entered the room where Lord Noriyuki was waiting to receive them with Tomoe Ame by his side. They knelt on the floor in front of him and bowed deeply, touching their heads to the floor. 

“Usagi-san, my friend, please sit up,” Lord Noriyuki said from his elevated position. “You too, Leonardo-san. It is good to see you again. When Usagi-san visited with me last, he told me that you two remained friends. It is good that you were able to come here during your visit. I just wish that it was under better circumstances.” 

Leonardo sat up and looked at Lord Noriyuki. He had grown physically in the last few years but his eyes showed a maturity that surpassed his age. It wasn’t easy running a clan. Leonardo knew well the stress of having too many responsibilities at a young age. He was still a teen and yet had more on his plate than most people three times his age. 

“It is good to see you again as well, Lord Noriyuki,” Leonardo said with a slight bow. “Congratulations on your engagement. She is a lovely young lady.”

“Yes.” Noriyuki blushed a little. “I met her once when I visited her father’s lands to arrange the alliance. I did not know that he would be offering me his daughter.” He cleared his throat and turned his attention to Usagi. “You seem to keep helping me, Usagi-san. Are you sure you don’t want to serve me as a retainer? A lord can never have too many warriors.”

Usagi smiled but shook his head. “I cannot serve another lord, though your offer is tempting.”

Noriyuki regarded Usagi for a moment before speaking. “You know you are worthy of the position. It was not your fault that Lord Mifune fell. You protected his honor.”

“Thank you, Lord Noriyuki,” Usagi replied. “It is simply no longer something that I desire.”

“Very well,” Noriyuki said and then his smile widened. “But I will not stop offering.” He took a deep breath and then looked at them both in turn. “For saving Lady Nalani I will grant you each a boon.”

“Right now all that we desire is something warm to eat, a hot bath and a safe place to sleep,” Usagi said. 

“Of course,” Noriyuki said. “I had hoped that you would stay for the wedding, since there would not have been one without your help.”

“You honor us with the invitation.” Usagi bowed, touching his head to the floor.

“Then it is settled,” Noriyuki insisted. “You will stay at least through the wedding.” Once again a smile graced his handsome face. “Maybe you will see how good a place this is to live and decide to stay longer.”

Usagi chuckled as he sat back up. “Anything is possible, I suppose.”

By the time Usagi and Leo were fed and done with their baths, the children were asleep in their own room. Attendants would care for them while they were here. As much as Leo loved them, it was good to get a break from them. They were in an estate surrounded by loyal guards. Leo was ready for a good night’s sleep. 

“I don’t believe that I have ever seen you glow,” Usagi stated as he turned down the sheets.

“Would you like to?” Leo offered, removing his kimono. 

Usagi got up to stand in front of Leo and trailed his fingers along a scar in Leo’s plastron. “I would.”

“Alright.” Leo looked into Usagi’s eyes and suddenly his exhaustion was forgotten. Releasing his ki, Leo extended it around the room and beyond. He could since the servants, the children, the guards, the prisoner, Lord Noriyuki and Lady Nalani. He knew where they each were within the estate. He could feel the power of the dragon build inside of him but without the pendant it could not be fully released. 

Usagi’s eyes went wide. “I had no idea that you possessed so much power.” He looked Leo over. “Some said that your sword was glowing as well.”

Leo shrugged. “I don’t know if the sword was glowing or if it was simply a reflection.”

“The only other man I know with this much power is evil,” Usagi stated. “Jei turns any blade he touches black, except for the Kusanagi. If he cuts you, it burns. If he stabs you, it feels like he is ripping your soul from your body. He has died several times but he manages to live on. He is a demon.”

“What was so special about the Kusanagi?” Leo asked. 

“It was a holy sword,” Usagi answered, never taking his eyes off of Leo’s body. His fingers traced the glowing patterns of Leo’s ki. “Depending on who possesses the sword, it could be used to insure the Shogun’s rule or used to help the emperor usurp the Shogun and gain power. It could throw my country into another war.”

“Where is it now?”

Usagi smiled as he let out a soft chuckle. “Hiding in plain sight. I gave it to a trusted friend and he replaced the replica with the actual sword. No one else knows. It is not something that can be trusted in the hands of any man.”

“That’s funny,” Leo laughed. “And quite clever.”

“I have my moments,” Usagi smiled, looking into Leo’s eyes. 

Leaning in, Leo pressed in for a soft kiss and Usagi reciprocated. Desire quickly drowned out any thought of sleep. His whole body wanted to feel Usagi and Usagi seemed to want the same. They removed the remainder of their clothes as they made their way to the tatami. 

Leonardo lay on his carapace and gave Usagi full access to his tail, there was no hesitation. He preferred to submit to his friend. There was something liberating about relinquishing control to someone else.

For the first time, they were able to take their time. There was little chance that they would be interrupted so there was no need to rush through it, though there was a part of Leo that wanted too. The desire for release was almost overwhelming. 

Since Usagi was more experienced, he was able to maintain control and kept things slow. He kissed along Leo’s neck and across his collarbone. His soft fur tickled a little but, thanks to his senses being heightened, it was in an exciting way. Leonardo could no longer contain his erection. His penis emerged and his tip flared. 

Without looking down, Usagi grabbed hold of Leo’s erection and stroked it softly. Leonardo moaned, bucking his hips in an attempt to get more friction. Usagi raised his head to look down at Leo and a knowing smile spread across his lips. “You are eager.”

Leo nodded and his needy cock throbbed in Usagi’s hand. “It’s been a while,” Leo husked. “I want you.” The words ‘I love you’ rested on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed them down. He knew better than to say them. “I love the way you feel inside me,” he said instead, bringing his hands up to flutter his fingers along Usagi’s jawline. 

Usagi’s finger played inside of Leo’s flared tip, collecting the pre-cum as it oozed out. He then slid his slicked finger down Leo’s shaft collecting some of the natural lubricant before dipping inside. 

As Usagi worked to prepare Leo’s entrance, Leo reached over to grab the lubricant. He collected some on his fingers and then got to work slicking Usagi’s emerging penis. The strong, pink appendage hardened in Leo’s hand and he was rewarded with a light moan from his friend and master. 

With a deep groan, Usagi pulled his finger from Leo and moved on top of him. He kissed and nipped at Leo’s neck as he worked his cock inside. Leo lifted his hips, urging Usagi to continue and held tight to Usagi’s ass. 

Sliding his hands up Usagi’s back, Leo pulled him down so that his cock could rub against Usagi’s stomach. The soft warmth felt amazing against his needy flesh. This kept his hands free to move over Usagi’s body. He loved to feel Usagi’s tight muscles flex and move under the fur with each thrust. 

Not wanting to announce to the whole estate what they were doing, Leonardo held his breath against his churrs. It was starting to make him feel a little light headed which strangely seemed to add to the bliss. 

Leonardo’s toes curled as he finished and his seed shot out, sticking to the fur on Usagi’s stomach. When the muscles in Usagi’s shoulders tightened, Leo knew that his friend was close. Using the muscles in his tail, Leo clamped down on Usagi and sent him over the edge. Usagi’s gasped and staggered in his movements. 

He looked down at Leo who smiled back up at him. It was satisfying for Leo to know that his actions had caused such a reaction out of Usagi. It meant that he had learned a few things and was doing something right. 

Usagi’s rhythm slowed after he had emptied himself to enjoy the few lingering moments of pleasure before he had to pull out. After one last kiss, Usagi sat back on his feet to get his breathing back under control. 

Leo sat up and ran his fingers through the sticky fur on Usagi’s belly. “You didn’t stay clean for long.”

“There is a wash basin over there,” Usagi replied as he stood up and made his way across the room. 

Through drooping eyes, Leonardo watched as Usagi cleaned himself and brushed out his fur. Now that his needs had been met, exhaustion set back in. He hadn’t even noticed that he had lay back down and sleep quickly followed.


	18. Chapter 18

Lord Noriyuki had sent his fastest messenger to Lord Hiroto in the Kazusa Provence. Four days later Lord Hiroto arrived with a large accompaniment of guards. Leonardo and Usagi stood with Tomoe Ame, Nalani, and Lord Noriyuki as they received them. 

Though Nalani was a panda, Lord Hiroto was a large black bear. Nalani’s panda heritage must have come from her late mother. He rushed past his guards to get to his daughter, tears of joy in his eyes. “I will hunt down those who are responsible for trying to capture you.”

“Oh father it was awful,” Nalani said as she raced towards her father. They met in the middle, colliding into each other’s arms. It was a tearful reunion between father and daughter. It relieved Leo’s heart to see that Lord Hiroto loved his daughter so much. He was sure that Lord Hiroto wouldn’t simply have given her away to just anyone. 

“Come, father,” Nalani said as she pulled on her father’s hand. “Come meet the ones who saved me.” She led him to where Leonardo and Usagi were standing. “They brought me here safely. This is Miyamoto Usagi and his student, Hamato Leonardo.”

Lord Hiroto bowed his head to them. “Thank you for protecting my daughter.” He turned his attention to Leonardo. “Your name is unlike any from around here. I am told that you are some kind of demon, Leonardo-san.”

Leonardo thought quickly on how to respond. He wanted to be completely truthful but he also didn’t want to say too much. “I have traveled here from a distant land and I have had such extensive training in the use of my ki that it can at times be visible but, Lord Hiroto, I assure you, in no way am I demonic,” Leonardo answered. 

“Pity,” Lord Hiroto said. “Ever since I was a boy I have heard stories of friendly demons that come to help. I have always wanted to meet one. I got close, once, when I was a boy. The rain fell on a sunny day so I went out to search for the wedding procession.” 

Leonardo recalled a legend in Japan that said if it rained when the sun was out that it meant that fox spirits were getting married. 

“My mother stopped me before I made it out of the gates,” Lord Hiroto continued. “She told me that if I had succeeded then I would have made them angry. It is not good for the lord of the land to make the fox spirits mad at him. Still, I would have loved to have seen them.” 

“I’m sorry to once again disappoint you,” Leonardo replied. 

“Not at all,” Lord Hiroto said with a smile. “There is nothing disappointing about a noble warrior like yourself.” He turned to Usagi. “I have also heard about you, Usagi-san. Lord Mifune was a friend of mine. I was there at the tournament you won when he decided to take you on as a retainer. You are an impressive fighter. I am glad my daughter ended up in your care. If you are looking for another lord to serve, I am always in need of men I can trust.”

“I thank you for the offer,” Usagi said, bowing deeply. “But I have not yet finished my musha shugyo and I do not wish to serve another lord at this time.”

“Besides,” Lord Noriyuki said with a wide smile. “If Usagi is going to pledge himself to a lord, it will be me.”

Lord Hiroto let out a hearty laugh. “I can accept that. At least I will know that my daughter will be protected.” He then looked again at Leonardo. “What about you? Once your training is complete, would you like to become a retainer of mine?”

“I am honored by the offer,” Leo replied. “However, I am not staying in this land for much longer. I will be returning to my home soon.”

“That’s usually how the stories about the good demons go,” Lord Hiroto said with a knowing smile. “Though I would have preferred it to happen another way, I am grateful that the gods saw fit that we meet.” He then turned to address Lord Noriyuki. “When will I get a chance to question your prisoner?”

“Soon,” Lord Noriyuki answered. “He should be ready to talk by now.”

….

After giving Lord Hiroto a chance to rest, he was given the chance to interrogate the prisoner. The captive man didn’t know much. He admitted to being hired by someone to kill Nalani and to make it look like Lord Noriyuki had sent men to do it but he didn’t know who the mastermind behind it was. Whoever it was didn’t want the two clans to unite and tried to get them to feud instead. 

Fortunately the plan did not succeed. They were going through with the wedding. 

….

The wedding took place three days later. Though Leonardo could not attend the private tea ceremony, he was in the procession. Lord Noriyuki and Nalani were dressed in traditional kimonos. They were beautiful but they also looked incredibly cumbersome, which was probably why they were carried on open litters in the procession. 

The celebration that followed was immaculate and samurai competed in several events that ranged from weapon usage to horseback riding. Leonardo had been persuaded to compete in a few on behalf of Lord Hiroto while Usagi competed on behalf of Lord Noriyuki. They each won a few events, earning ryō for their victories. 

The children also enjoyed their time. They got to participate in demonstrations and play games. The food served was better than anything they had eaten in their short lives and Kuroko over indulged himself a little and ended up with a sore stomach. 

After the celebrations they headed back inside the estate for a good night’s sleep. They were all too exhausted for much of anything else. It had been an experience Leonardo would never forget. 

A few days after the wedding, much to Lord Noriyuki’s disappointment, Usagi decided that it was time to continue on their way. 

As they traveled down the path, Leonardo calculated how much longer he had in Usagi’s world. Time had seemed to fly by. His three months were quickly coming to an end. In fact he only had a little over a week remaining. This realization gave him mixed emotions. 

On one hand, he was going home soon. He missed his family and longed to get back to them. On the other hand, he was going to have to leave Usagi. He knew he shouldn’t have, but he had grown attached to his friend. 

He reached down to picked up Umō and nuzzled her soft fur, taking comfort in knowing that he was going to take the sweet little muffin with him. She giggled, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck. It amazed Leonardo how much love he felt for her. 

“You are going to spoil her,” Usagi stated with a chuckle. 

Leonardo smiled in response and was about to protest but then confessed, “Maybe a little.”

It took them two days to get to the edge of Noriyuki’s province where they came upon a farming village. Rice fields spread out over the horizon. “The best sake comes from this village,” Usagi stated as they walked along the path through the fields. He pointed to a large structure on the edge of one of the fields. “That building and others like it are guard posts. They are stationed here to protect the village and the guards travel with the shipments during distribution.”

“Why would Lord Noriyuki send guards to protect the village and guard their wares?” Kuroko asked.

Leonardo looked down at Kuroko, getting his attention by putting his hand on the young turtle’s shoulder. “This village would not be able to prosper without protection. Bandits would raid often for their wealth, making it a dangerous place to work. The skilled craftsmen would be forced to relocate to a safer area. So it benefits Lord Noriyuki to send guards to protect them so that they remain here.”

“The Shogun will only drink the sake from here,” Usagi said as a matter of fact. “Some say it is the reason Lord Noriyuki is so loyal to the Shogun. As a result, this village is one of the richest in the lands. The taxes collected from this village alone, makes up the majority of Lord Noriyuki’s wealth.”

“Oh,” Kuroko said. “I think I understand. Lord Noriyuki invests in the protection of the village by sending guards and the village in turn willingly pays taxes to the lord for keeping them safe. They both benefit from their success.”

Leonardo patted Kuroko’s carapace. “Understanding this concept is the sign of a good leader. A leader who treats his people well will always benefit in the long run. There is a balance to it.”

It was only midafternoon so they stayed in the village long enough to eat. They bought a bottle of sake with their meal and Leonardo was impressed with the quality of it. So much so that he purchased a bottle to take home with him as a gift for Master Splinter. It should last the week he had left. 

As they exited the village they passed a young panda woman who looked distraught. Her eyes were swollen as if she had been crying. She had an equally distraught looking man walking beside her, possibly her husband, supporting her as they made their way into the village. They looked as if they had just lost a loved one. Leo assumed that they had just received the devastating news. 

The path led into another wooded area that looked to be dense, which was understandable since it was the border between two provinces. They didn’t go far when they heard the sound of a crying baby. Without hesitation, Leonardo headed off the path, towards the sound. Usagi and the children had no choice but to follow. 

It didn’t take Leonardo long to find the source of the cries. Someone had abandoned a baby in the forest. Rocks were placed around it as if in an offering. 

“They are offerings,” Usagi said as if he had read Leonardo’s mind. “The hope is that the rocks will be used to help the child pass into the spirit world. Much like with the statue we saw along the road a few months ago.”

“But why abandon the baby in the first place?” Leo asked, kneeling down to inspect the child. As soon as he unwrapped the swaddle, his question was answered. The newborn panda baby had no arms and her legs were twisted.

The sound of Usagi drawing his sword had Leonardo turning to look at him. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to do what the parents could not,” Usagi answered. “She is deformed and probably in pain. I am doing her a favor. A quick death is better than slowly starving to death. Take the children away so they don’t have to watch.”

Leo gingerly collected the baby from the ground. “She doesn’t have to die.”

“What kind of life will she have?” Usagi argued. “I know it’s hard but it’s best to end it now. It is the kindest thing to do for her.”

“I can help her,” Leo pleaded. “On my world, we have ways to give her a full life. Your world is a wondrous place where is seems that fate plays a big part in your lives. I found her for a reason. We are here at this moment for a reason. I am meant to save her.”

“What if the reason was for me to end her suffering?” Usagi asked. 

Leonardo nodded. “Both options are mercy for this child. If this world was the only option for her, I would agree that ending her life is the better option. But it isn’t. I’m only here for another week. If she takes a turn for the worse before I go home, I will let you put an end to her. I just want to give her a chance at life…. Please. Donny can help her.”

Usagi slid his sword back into its sheath. “Very well. We will see if we can find supplies for her in the next village. It would not be wise to turn around and go back into the village we just left. We passed her parents when we left.”

“I noticed that.” Leonardo nodded. “And, I agree. I just hope that the next village isn’t too far off.”

“It isn’t,” Usagi said. “We should get there by night fall.”

Leonardo took a moment to make a diaper out of scraps of cloth. It was a good thing he kept the pieces he had cut from the bottom of Nalani’s under kimonos. He then swaddled the baby tight. Once she was secure in his arms, the baby settled down and slept. 

“What are you going to name her?” Kuroko asked as they got back on the path. 

“I don’t know,” Leo answered. He looked down at the small face that poked out of the blankets. It was the first time he had ever held a baby. How could anyone abandon something so precious to die? “I’ve always liked the name Hana.”

Umō tugged on Leo’s kimono. “I wanna be carried.”

Usagi chucked and glanced back at Leo. “I think someone is getting a little jealous.”

Leonardo turned to Kuroko. “Here. You carry your little sister and I’ll carry Umō for a bit. If Hana gets to be too much for you, let me know.” He used the title of little sister intentionally. He hoped it would give Kuroko a sense of family and responsibility. 

The look on the young turtle’s face was a mixture of shock and fear but he held his arms out to accept the little bundle. Leonardo knelt down and made a sling to help support most of the weight. Hana grunted in response to all the shifting but quickly settled once it was done. Leo lifted Umō as he stood and the small fox curled contently up in his arms. 

Three kids, Leonardo thought to himself. He has got his work cut out for him. He just hoped that he hadn’t bitten off more than he could chew. He was starting to understand what Splinter must have gone through when he took on four baby turtles all at once. The love he felt mixed with an overwhelming sense of fear was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. 

He looked down at the tree of them and couldn’t help but smile. It would be worth it.


	19. Chapter 19

Leonardo had no idea what babies without mothers were fed on this world. They didn’t have formula back I ancient Japan. Whatever it was, he hoped he was going to be able to find some in the next village. Until then, to help alleviate her hunger, Leo coated his finger in plum juice and let Hana suck on it. It was the best he could do for her. 

“What do reptiles feed their newborns?” Leo asked, thinking out loud. “Reptiles don’t have mammary glands so breastfeeding is not an option. Maybe I can feed Hana that.”

“I do not know,” Usagi answered. “I haven’t met that many reptiles and never one with a newborn. But you will be able to ask them yourself soon enough. There is a large population of turtles in the town we are going to.”

“Really?” Leo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was going to be able to meet people like him and have the chance to learn about their way of life. “We’re going somewhere that has turtles?”

Usagi smiled and nodded his head. “I thought it would be a good way to end your visit.” After a quick sideways glance towards Leo, Usagi’s smile widened. “There is also a Lotus house in the town. It is the other reason I have decided to bring you this way.” 

Leo glanced over at Usagi. Judging by the look on his friend’s face it seemed that Usagi expected Leonardo to know what a Lotus house was. “I’m… sure it will be nice.”

Usagi let out a hearty laugh. “Do you know what a Lotus house is, Leonardo?”

“A nice place to get tea?” Leo ventured to guess. Usagi knew how much Leonardo enjoyed tea. 

“They do serve tea,” Usagi replied. “But that is not the only reason to visit the establishment.”

The heat rose in Leo’s cheeks. Based on the way Usagi was acting, Leonardo was starting to suspect what kind of establishment the Lotus house was. “Is it a… uh… theater house?” Leo asked, too shy to verbalize his suspicions. “Or a really fancy inn?”

Usagi nodded. “There is entertainment there, yes. And you can stay the night, if you have enough money.”

Leonardo was growing tired of the little games so he leaned in close to his friend and whispered, “Is it a whore house?”

Usagi nodded. “More or less. The women at the Lotus house, however, are not common yujo. They are oiran. They are educated, talented, and beautiful. I thought you might like to know what it was like to… uh…,” Usagi looked down at the children,”… be with a woman at least once, and I believe that they have a kame working there. I know you would object to a yujo considering that most of them do not really have a choice in their profession. But the oiran are… high end and there because they want to be.”

Leonardo’s face was on fire. He couldn’t believe what Usagi was saying and he was talking about it so nonchalantly. “Won’t that… cost a lot of money?”

Usagi nodded. “You’ve earned it. Having you here, my purse is heavier than it has ever been. I can spare a few ryō on one night.”

“What about you and the kids?” Leonardo wanted to know. “Would it be appropriate to take them in there? And Hana needs food.”

“It will be fine,” Usagi reassured him. “The children will see the entertainment and have something to eat. They will sleep with me while you are being… tended to. As for Hana, there is a good chance that at least one of the women there has recently had a child. If not, there will be someone there who will know what to feed her.”

“That sounds good. But, I… I’m just not sure about…,” Leo said, looking down at Hana to hide the fact that he was blushing again. 

“It is an option, but there is no pressure to do it,” Usagi said. “You can at the very least simply enjoy her company. You could ask her about kame and just talk the whole night, she won’t mind. I know it is an experience that you will most likely not have on your own world so I wanted to give you the chance. The Lotus house is on this side of the town so we will enter the town close to it and it will be the best place to eat and stay the night. There is no requirement to engage in physical activities.”

“Have you ever…?” Leo asked. 

“Yes,” Usagi answered bluntly. “Whenever I had enough money. Life as a wanderer can get lonely at times. And, like you, I prefer a woman who wants to be there.”

“I will need to think about it,” Leo replied. 

When they reached the town they entered through what was obviously the ‘pleasure district’. There were bars and restaurants, busy with customers. Music could be heard coming from several places, the mixed melodies echoed down the streets and were almost confusing. They passed a few establishments with young women and girls on display. Those must have been the more common whore houses where the girls were indentured servants, sold by their parents to pay off debts or orphans. 

Then they came to the Lotus house. It was a large, fenced in estate with an elegant design. Men and women both loitered outside in the well-kept gardens, engaged light banter. Some eyed them as they passed but no one said anything. 

They were received in the front by a young lady dressed in a fine kimono. She was on her knees, bowing her head as she took their request. 

“We would like two rooms,” Usagi stated. “We would like to watch tonight’s entertainment and have something to eat. We have a motherless infant with us as well and require some form of nourishment for her, if it is at all possible. Finally, my companion would like an escort for the night.”

“Is there a preference on escort?” the lady asked, looking up. 

Leonardo had to swallow past the lump in his throat before he was able to speak. “If there is a kame available that would be preferable, and… not too young.”

“I will see what I can do,” she said bowing once again before standing. After a brief discussion over details and price, Usagi paid the lady and then she gestured for them to follow her. “Please come this way, I will escort you to the baths so that you may wash up for dinner.”

“Thank you,” Usagi said. “Please, make procuring some food for the infant your top priority.” 

“Of course,” the lady replied. “There is a worker here who has recently weened her child. I will see if she is still producing and she will be waiting for you at dinner. If not, we will arrange for something by the time your bath is complete.”

“Thank you,” Leonardo said as the lady took her leave. 

The bathing area was not private and was already occupied by two other men and a few women who were there to assist but remained clothed. Fortunately, the pool was large so they didn’t have to worry about sitting too close to the strangers. After they were all disrobed and cleaned, they slipped into the pool for a well needed soak. 

Kuroko swam, like he normally did in the bath but stayed clear of the other two men. Usagi watched Umō and Jotaro while Leo focused on Hana. “We’re not going to say long?” Leo asked. 

“We are not,” Usagi replied. “Just long enough for them to prepare for us. Hana will be fed soon.”

“She is cute,” one of the women commented. “It’s a pity though.”

“She’s twisted and deformed. Mercy would be to end her life,” one of the men added. “You do her no favors keeping her alive.”

“It is none of your business,” Leo stated flatly, in no mood to justify himself. He kept Hana up on his shoulder and the warmth of the pool soothed her to sleep. He was determined for her to live. 

When they left the bathing area, a woman was there to escort them to the dining and entertainment room. On stage there was a woman playing a koto with another playing a shakuahachi in accompaniment. It was a beautiful and almost haunting sound. 

They were led to a table that was already occupied by two women, one of whom was a turtle. Leo’s heart pounded as he looked at her and she smiled up at him. She had rice powder on her face and her eyes were painted with a deep purple. Her kimono was also purple with red accents. In short, she was beautiful. 

The other woman, a fox, was equally beautiful but was not as gussied up as the turtle. Though still elegant, her kimono was simple. She smiled up at Leonardo and held out her hands. “Let me see the baby.”

Gingerly he placed Hana into the woman’s arms. There was no shame or any attempt to hide it as she opened her kimono to expose one of her breasts. Then she placed her nipple to Hana’s lips and tried to get the small baby to eat. It only took a few drops of milk on her lips for Hana to latch on and start to suckle. Leonardo let out a sigh of relief as he watched Hana hungrily eat. 

“What will I feed her when there is no one to nurse her?” Leo asked, keeping his eyes on the baby.

“We will give you a kit with soft bread, thick cream, and water,” the woman answered. “It should last you a few days and you can get more in the next town. You will soak some of the bread in some cream and water and then feed it to her. Make sure it is thin enough for her to swallow. If you can get her to take that, she will live.”

“Thank you,” Leonardo said, bowing his head. 

They ate and spoke for a while as they listened to the music. Leonardo learned the names of the two women. The fox’s name was Akemi and the turtle’s name was Takara. After a while, another woman came out and did a routine with some tops and a bamboo maze. It was mesmerizing to watch and the children really enjoyed it. When it came time to go to their rooms, Leonardo was reminded of one of the reasons why they were here. 

Akemi led Usagi and the children to their room and Takara took Leonardo to the one they were going to share. She slid the door open and gestured for Leo to enter first. The room was furnished with a tatami and a table with supplies to make tea. There was also a wash basin in the corner and a small table to hold Leo’s supplies. 

Leonardo first walked over and placed his bag on the table while Takara made her way over to start the tea. “Leonardo is a strange name,” Takara said as she poured some hot water into a more decretive pot. “Are you from around here?”

“I have traveled here from… far away,” Leo replied and sat down on the other side of the table, crossing his legs. “I will be returning home soon.” He watched as Takara carefully measured the tea powder and added it to the bottom of a cup. She then poured the hot water into the cup and whisked the tea into the water. Her hands were steady and her movements were fluid. Lifting the cup, Takara bowed her head and offered it to Leo. 

“Then let’s make your last few days here memorable.”

“Thank you.” Leonardo’s hands weren’t as steady as he reached up to accept the cup. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Fortunately he had enough of his wits about him to rotate the cup before taking a sip. The flavor was unlike anything he had ever tasted. He had no idea that tea could taste so good. 

“Do you like it?” Takara asked. 

“Yes,” Leo nodded. “It is the best tea I have ever tasted.”

Takara giggled, covering her mouth with her hand as she did. “You flatter me.”

She answered all of Leonardo’s questions about the kame of that world. He found it interesting that females take more than one mate. It made him wonder about Kuroko’s parents’ situation. Did Kuroko’s mother have more than one mate? Did they turn on her when she took his father as a mate? They were questions he would probably never know the answers to. 

When Leo was done with the tea, Takara stet about cleaning up. “Take off your kimono and get on the tatami,” she instructed as she worked. “I will give you a massage.”

“Alright.” Leo stood and did as he was told, folding his kimono neatly before lying on the mattress. His heart was pounding. He still hadn’t decided if he wanted to fully take advantage of her services or not. 

When she was done cleaning and all of the supplies had been tucked away in their cases, Takara picked up a bottle of oil and a rough brush then made her way over to Leonardo. She instructed Leonardo to roll onto his plastron and then started to use the brush on his carapace. 

It felt good to have his carapace brushed. The soft vibrations had a soothing effect and for the first time that night, Leo started to relax. Once she was done with the brush, she moved on to working his muscles. The oil smelled of lavender. Soon all of the tension, he hadn’t realized he was carrying, faded away. 

When her fingers reached his tail, Leonardo moaned. Her strong fingers on the sensitive appendage lit a fire in his belly and he decided than that he would take advantage of the opportunity. When else in his life would he ever get the chance? Leo shifted to sit up and Takara pulled her hands back. Looking up at her smiling face, Leo reached out and fluttered his fingers along her jawline. 

With a soft sigh, Takara tilted her head to give Leo access to her long neck. Leonardo moved forward and kissed her neck along the pulse point, drawing a hum from Takara. “I guess you have decided to accept my full services for the night.”

“I have,” Leonardo husked as he moved to remove her kimono. 

Before Leo could get too carried away, Takara stood up. She placed a finger on Leo’s lips to prevent him from protesting. “I will remove my kimono. I don’t want you messing it up.” With that she made her way across the room. 

Takara stood close to the light and slowly removed her garments, allowing them to slide off her body. She then collected them from the floor and carefully folded them. Leonardo admired her body as she moved. He had been taught by society to know what made a human woman sexually appealing but instinctively he was drawn to the curve of Takara’s carapace and her long slender tail. For him, no human woman could compare. 

When she was done, Takara sauntered back over to Leo. Her moves were deliberate and sensual only adding to Leo’s arousal. When she reached Leo she leaned down and kissed his lips. Part of him was screaming for him to grab her and get at it but he knew better. She deserved better than that, he wanted his time with her to be better than that. 

She turned and sat down in his lap with her carapace facing him, rubbing it against his plastron. Leonardo was aroused by the action but hesitated in his movements. “I’ve… never,” he breathed against her neck. 

“I can tell,” Takara whispered back. “It’s okay.” She leaned forward, encouraging Leo to move with her. His plastron continued to scrape against her carapace and it made his tail pulsate. He couldn’t take it anymore, he needed his release. He let instinct take over, hooking his tail around hers. 

It took him little effort to find her cloaca and his penis passed through the opening effortlessly. The tight, wet warmth of her soft inner walls caused Leo to churr with each upward thrust. 

With her he didn’t have to worry about going too deep, her body was made to fit him. She opened up inside allowing his tip to flare so that the inner folds could be stimulated. He made sure his plastron scrapped against her as he moved, slow and steady. It felt right to do and there was no rush to finish. 

Leaning forward, he kissed the back of her neck in an attempt to stimulate her. He knew she was paid to act like she liked it but he hoped that she was enjoying it and not wishing that he’d just hurry up and finish. 

All of his concerns were put to rest when Takara moaned as her body pulsated around him. Her hand sought out his and held tight as she moved with him. He emptied his mind of all other thoughts and let himself focus on the pleasure. 

His climax quickly followed, causing a euphoric wave to wash over him. He collapsed to the tatami, humming in satisfaction. He had never felt so relaxed in his life. As the high faded, exhaustion set in and his eyes drifted closed. Feeling safe and secure, Leo allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Leonardo awoke to the sound of someone softly crying. He immediately snapped awake as a wave of regret and guilt washed over him. It was what he had feared. She didn’t truly want to be here, with him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he sat up. “I shouldn’t have let myself….”

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Takara said, cutting him off as she quickly wiped her eyes. “I just couldn’t hold it back anymore. Please, do not feel bad. You have done nothing wrong.”

“Then why are you crying?” Leo wanted to know. 

Takara wiped her tears from her cheeks and took a few steading breaths. “The boy, the black skinned kame, he is not your son.”

“You mean Kuroko.” Leo nodded his head. “No, he is not my son.” At first Leo wondered why she would be asking about Kuroko and then it dawned on him. “Did his father come from here? Did you know his mother?”

“What do you know of them?” she asked in return, barely glancing at him. 

“In short…. Kuroko’s father, who had the same name, was a bandit,” Leo answered. “He was seen as a demon because of his skin. He had stolen from me and Usagi, and abducted Jotaro. We tracked him down to a village. He had just killed Umō’s father for threatening to go to the authorities. When we confronted him, he demanded that we pay to get our items back or they, and Jotaro, would be sold. I fought him, and killed him.

“I didn’t know about young Kuroko until later,” Leo continued. “Kuroko eventually told me that his father saved him as an egg and that his brothers’ and sisters’ eggs had all been broken for fear of their father’s ‘demon taint’ being passed on to his children. His mother later died before he hatched.”

“Oh,” Takara said softly, looking down. 

“Did you know his mother?” Leo asked again. “Was she a friend of yours?” 

“I am the boy’s mother,” Takara answered, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor. 

Leonardo felt his heart sink. “What?” 

“I can’t believe that Kuroko told him that I am dead,” Takara mumbled. “But at the same time, I am not surprised. He tended to lie often.” She lifted her head to look into Leo’s eyes. “The color of his skin made life hard for him. They all called him a demon but I believed that there was good in him. I was his only friend as a child, and only his mother loved him. When she died, I took pity on him and… offered him my services for free. I later laid a clutch of three eggs. When they hatched Kuroko took the one that looked like him and left. I never thought I would see him again.”

Leo had to swallow past the lump in his throat. “Do you want him back?” he asked, fearing the answer. He had grown to love Kuroko but, as much as it pained him, he wasn’t going to keep him from his mother. 

“What did you plan to do with him?” Takara asked. 

“I was going to take him with me, back to my home and raise him as my own,” Leo replied.” Life where I’m from isn’t going to be easy for him, but I saw it as a better fate than he had here. At least he would be loved. I was going to train him, as my father trained me.”

Tears filled Takara’s eyes. “It doesn’t bother you, that he is tainted like his father? You don’t fear the kind of monster he could become?”

“He’s not tainted,” Leo argued. “Kuroko was no demon and neither is his son. They just look different.” 

“I will not take him from you,” she whispered through her tears and she managed a soft smile. “For all the lies Kuroko must have told him, the part about him being an outcast here was true. And his son will be treated no differently. He will have a better life with you.”

Leo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That is something he should decide. I cannot keep something like this from him. He deserves to know the truth. We will tell him in the morning.”

Takara smiled. “You are a good man.”

Leo reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks and then placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Let’s get some sleep. And in the morning, at breakfast, we can talk to Kuroko about his options.”

“Okay,” Takara agreed softly. 

They both lay down on the tatami and she curled up in his arms. It wasn’t until her breathing steadied into a rhythm of slumber, did Leo allow himself to fall back asleep. 

…..

The next morning Takara softly kissed Leo awake. Leo opened his eyes and was greeted with a warm smile. He had to admit, it felt nice waking up next to someone. 

They got themselves dressed and headed into Usagi’s room for breakfast. Usagi and the children were up and sitting at the small table. Akemi was with them, holding slumbering Hana against her chest and her child was sitting next to her. 

“She was kind enough to sleep in with us,” Usagi said as Leo entered the room. “Any time Hana woke in the night, Akemi tended to her.”

“Thank you,” Leo said as he sat down next to Kuroko. “You have been kind.” Takara sat on the other side of Leo but her eyes stayed fixed on Kuroko. 

“How was your night,” Usagi asked, attempting to hide his smile as he sipped his tea. 

“Educational,” Leo answered, causing his friend to raise a fuzzy brow. “There is something I need to discuss with Kuroko.” He turned to the young turtle and placed his hand on Kuroko’s shoulder. Chewing slowly, Kuroko looked up at Leo in confusion. “There is something you need to know,” Leo explained. 

“You told him?” Akemi asked, looking at Takara in surprise. Takara could only nod in response. Usagi set down his tea cup, interested in what was about to happen. 

“Your father wasn’t entirely truthful with you,” Leo told Kuroko. “Your father was from this town and the people here were cruel to him. However…, your mother and siblings are not dead. Your father took you from them after you hatched.”

“But,” Kuroko whimpered, wiping the tears from his cheeks. “You told me that you’ll be my dad now. You can’t leave me here. If they treated him bad, they’re gonna treat me bad too.” 

“Don’t leave Kuroko,” Umō wailed before breaking into tears. Her tiny hands were balled into fists as she rubbed her eyes. “He’s my brother.” Leo looked over to see Usagi scoop her up in his lap. Jotaro also climbed into Usagi’s lap with a few tears in his eyes. 

“I’m telling you because you have the right to know,” Leo soothed, keeping his tone even and calm. “It’s your decision if you want to stay here with your mother or come with me.”

“I wanna go with you,” Kuroko sobbed, his voice breaking with emotion. He lunged forward, colliding with Leo to wrap his arms around Leo’s neck. “You make me feel normal and special at the same time. Everyone else looks at me like a monster. I want you to teach me to be like you. I don’t want to end up like my father. If I stay here, I’ll end up like my father. I wanna be your son, not his son. Please.”

“Would you at least like to get to know your mother?” Leo asked softly, wrapping his arms around Kuroko. His emotions were overwhelming and struggled to hold back his tears. “She wants to get to know you.”

“Is it her?” Kuroko asked, pointing to Takara while keeping his face buried in Leo’s neck. 

“You are so smart,” Leo replied, patting Kuroko’s shell. “She is your mother, yes.”

“Does she want to take me from you?” Kuroko asked, his voice muffled against Leo’s neck. 

“She’s actually decided to let you come with me,” Leo answered. “She just wants to spend a little time with you before we go.” Leo pulled Kuroko down so that he could look the young turtle in the eyes. “We have a little less than a week left. Why don’t we spend that time with her?” Leo looked over at Usagi. “If that’s okay?”

Usagi nodded. “I had planned on staying here for the final days of your visit.”

Kuroko looked past Leo at Takara for a moment before looking Leo in the eyes and nodding. “Okay.”

“Good,” Leo smiled. He moved over and gestured towards Takara. “Go ahead. I won’t go anywhere.”

Kuroko stiffly made his way to stand in front of Takara. His head was down and his hands were balled at his sides. “Hi,” he mumbled, shifting from one foot to the other.

Takara reached up and brushed her fingers along Kuroko’s cheek. “Hi,” she said back, smiling despite her tears. “You have no idea how happy I am to see that you’re okay.” She took his hand in hers and tilted her head so that she could see his face. “Do you like red bean buns?” Kuroko nodded in response. 

“I like red bean buns!” Umō announced, bouncing in Usagi’s lap. 

Takara giggled and looked at Jotaro. “What about you? Do you like red bean buns?”

Jotaro nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”

“I know of a wonderful place that makes the best red bean buns,” Takara said, shifting her gaze back to Kuroko. “We can all go there for lunch.”

“Okay,” Kuroko replied, glancing up at her. 

“Is it near where the kame live?” Leo asked. “I would like to experience the culture here.”

“No,” Takara shook her head. “I can take you there later without him. However, we should keep him from that part of town. They would not receive him well.”

“They will see me as a monster,” Kuroko mumbled. “Even if they don’t say anything, I can see it in the way they look at me. Everyone I’ve ever met has looked at me that way.” He turned to look at Leo. “Leonardo-san never looks at me that way.”

“That is because he is a good man. You are lucky to have found him.” A sad smile spread across Takara’s lips. “I’m sorry,” she said softly, drawing Kuroko’s attention back towards her. “Everyone else is afraid of what they don’t understand.”

“You don’t look at me that way either,” Kuroko said as he moved closer to her. “But it’s still different than the way Leonardo-san looks at me. You look at me the way Akemi-san looks at her baby.”

“A mother loves her child,” Takara replied. “I know you are not a monster and I have loved you from the moment you hatched.” Kuroko fell into his mother’s lap and wrapped his arms around her. Takara wrapped her arms around her long lost son as tears of joy ran down her cheeks.


	21. Chapter 21

Knowing that the area would be unsafe for Kuroko, Leonardo decided to visit the Kame part of town on his own. It was strange for him to see so many turtles walking around. It felt like a dream. He had never felt so relaxed in his life. That was, until someone came up behind him. “You’re not from around here.”

Leo turned to face a rather large kame. “No I am not.”

“Where are you from?” the Kame asked. 

“Far away,” Leo answered. 

The Kame narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “My grandmother asked me to bring you to her.”

Leo lifted and eye ridge. “My I ask why?”

“There is something about you that she finds interesting,” the Kame replied. “Are you going to come with me willingly or not?”

Leo knew that, despite the Kame’s larger size, there was no way he could have taken Leo unwillingly. However, he did not want to cause any problems so he smiled and said, “Lead the way.”

He followed the large Kame back through town and into a small house. There was an old female Kame sitting in a chair, waiting for them. She looked up as they entered and Leo could see that her eyes were capped in white. 

“Thank you, Ookin.” She lifted her withered hand. “Come closer.”

Leonardo knew that the request was for him and not his guide. Using his ki, Leo searched the area as he walked towards the old woman. There were others in the house, two young girls, a clutch of six eggs two of which were infertile, two women, and four more males. They watched Leonardo out of curiosity but there was no threat from them. 

The old woman smiled up at Leonardo. “You are strong in the mystic arts.” Her hand came out and hovered next to him. “And, you hold a powerful talisman.”

Leonardo pulled his pendant from under his kimono. “Could you be sensing this? It is my way to return home.”

The old Kame shook her head. “No.” She extended her fingers and kept her hand close to his side. “It’s here.”

Confused, Leo reached into his pocket and his fingers touched the jade turtle. He had all but forgotten about it. Pulling it out, he held it out in his open palm. Some of the other Kame in the house gasped. 

“Yes, that,” the old Kame said. “How did you come across such an artifact?”

“I helped a Kappa family,” Leo answered. “One of them tossed this to me before disappearing under the water.”

“Those Kappa must have owed you a tremendous debt. This is a great gift indeed,” she said. 

“How so,” Leo asked, turning the turtle over in his hand. 

“Have you not noticed how much stronger you’ve become since it was given to you?” she replied.

Leo nodded. “I have.”

“It has a way of helping you focus your ki.” she said. “It only works if it is given freely and it’s useless if it is stolen.”

Leo looked down at the small jade turtle and wondered if it would have the same effect on him back on his own world. He’d have to figure out a way to keep it on him when he was wearing his gear. He’d hate to lose it in a battel, even if it would be useless to anyone who found it. 

Leo looked up at the old woman. “Is that the reason you wanted to see me? To ask me where I got this?”

“I sensed your power when you walked past,” the woman answered. “I know that you spread your ki out when you entered my home. I’m sure you know how many people are in this house, their ages and genders. You could probably sense the whole town if you concentrated hard enough. I can see that the soul of a dragon rests inside of you. I wish to invite you to stay. You can marry one of my granddaughters.”

“There is something you need to know, grandmother. One of my friends saw him at the Lotus house last night,” Ookin said from the door. “He shared a room with Takara. He also had Kuroko’s son with him.”

Leo looked over his shoulder at him. “How are you so sure that was me?”

Ookin scoffed. “You’re the only Kame in town that is not from here.”

“Is the boy with Takara now?” the old one asked. 

Leo nodded. “She desired the chance to get to know him. So they are visiting with one another. She knows life here would be hard for him so she has permitted me to take him with me when I return home.”

“I do not want that tainted child in my home,” the old one said. “My granddaughter was a fool for mating with Kuroko.”

“Takara is your granddaughter?” Leo did his best to keep his composure. How could she hate her own blood? “I thank you for the offer but I must decline. I never intended to stay here and will return to my home in just a few days.” He bowed deeply. “If there is nothing more, I will see myself out.”

“That creature will only bring you grief,” the old one called out after him.

Leo stopped and looked into her white eyes. “His siblings have the same blood running through them. There is a chance that when they are older and mate, their children will have the same black skin. I find it hard to believe that one who is so gifted would not be able to see that the black skin he has is not demonic.”

“You misunderstand,” the old woman replied. “I know that he does not possess demonic power but the color of his skin draws it to him. He will be unable to avoid it if he is trained.”

“This is nothing more than a foolish superstition,” Leo snapped. “I have fought demons. I know demons. I fought the older Kuroko and killed him. He was well trained but was no demon. The young Kuroko is no different than his siblings. I will take him with me, train him and prove that you are wrong.”

“It has happened before,” the old woman stated, remaining calm. “There is a wolf named Jei who was born all black, much like Kuroko. Once he was trained to use his ki he was able to extend it into his weapons, turning them as black as he was. He became delusional, believing he was chosen by the gods to smite evil only to see the sinner in everyone. He still roams the land, killing those who draw his attention even those foolish enough to help him. His ki is so strong he is nearly impossible to kill and when he strikes you it consumes your soul.”

She sat back, shaking her head. “I will not take part in training another like him and it is the reason I refused to train the elder Kuroko. He might have been trained to use a sword but he was not trained to use his ki. I will not have my bloodline associated with such evil. If my granddaughters do have children with black skin, they will not be trained, despite their potential.”

“I pray that they do not have any children with black skin,” Leo stated and then turned to go. “For your sake and for theirs. No child deserves the hate you would visit upon them.”

“And for your sake I hope you are right about young Kuroko,” she called out after him. “The world does not need another terror like Jei.”

Leonardo left without another word. He wasn’t going to stand there and argue with her. It would have been useless. It wasn’t possible to change her mind and he wasn’t going to give her the chance to change his. Kuroko wasn’t going to end up anything like Jei. 

He returned to the Lotus house a short time later, entering through the front gate. Usagi was with Takara and Akemi while the children played nearby. Leonardo walked over to them and accepted Hana before sitting down next to Usagi. Since they were planning on leaving to stay in a more affordable inn, Akemi left to get the supplies Leo would need to feed Hana. 

“I met your grandmother,” Leo said to Takara. “And your… brother? Ookin.”

“Cousin,” Takara corrected. “How exactly did you meet them?”

“Your grandmother sensed me as I passed by her house,” Leo replied. “She sent your cousin to fetch me. She offered me the hand of one of her granddaughters in marriage. I declined. She didn’t seem too happy.”

Takara scoffed. “That doesn’t surprise me. Did she offer you me? Is that how you know that she is my grandmother?”

Leo shook his head. “One of Ookin’s friends saw me here with you… and Kuroko.” 

“She knows?!” Takara stood up and looked around the garden. “Maybe we should go back inside.”

“You don’t have to worry,” Leo said. “If any Kame comes close to the Lotus house, I will know it. Right now they are all on the other side of town.”

“You don’t understand,” Takara explained. “My grandmother is a master warrior. Don’t let her old age fool you. She has won the Battel Nexus, recently. She stepped down from fighting only a decade ago so she could focus on training my cousins for it. She can still hold her own in a fight. She beats them all the time.”

“You know of the Nexus?” Leo asked.

“I only know of it,” Takara replied. “You know of it?”

“It is how I met Usagi,” Leo answered.

Takara smiled. “It must have been the will of the gods for us to meet and for you to raise my son.”

“Destiny has seemed to play a big part in my life,” Leo agreed. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

“I’ll have to make sure this is where I meet you anytime we arrange a visit,” Usagi added. “It will be good to occasionally get Takara and Kuroko together. I’m sure Jotaro will enjoy the visit as well.”

“I’m just finding more and more reasons to come visit you,” Leo quipped. 

They said their goodbyes when Akemi returned with the supplies. She had been kind enough to offer help if Hana refused to eat the bread and butter mixture. Leonardo thanked her for her offer and then they left to find an inn. 

That night they took their meal in their room. Leo tasted the bread Akemi had given him for Hana. It was a sweet bread, and soft. Following the directions he was given, he let the bread soak in water for a few minutes before adding the butter and shaking it vigorously. He hoped that the mixture would be easy enough for Hana’s little system to digest, if she ate it at all. 

When he was satisfied with the consistency, Leo got some on his finger and fed it to Hana. She wasn’t happy with the new food but after a few minutes of trying Leo managed to get her to eat it. “Just a few more days,” he whispered to her. “Feeding you will be easier when I get you back home.”

By the time Hana finished her food, the children were asleep. Leonardo made sure that she had on a fresh diaper before swaddling her tightly and setting her next to the window for some fresh air. With a full belly, Hana quickly drifted off to sleep. 

Leo moved over to the tatami and sat next to Usagi. “It has been an interesting twenty four hours.”

Usagi was lying on the mattress and looked up at Leo as he traced his finger along Leo’s bicep. “We never really got the chance to talk about last night. Did you enjoy yourself?”

“I did,” Leo answered, smiling down at his friend. “But I enjoy my time with you more.”

Usagi laughed. “So then you didn’t have sex.”

“I had sex with Takara.” Leo moved over Usagi and kissed him softly. “I like it better when you’re inside me. Leaving you is going to be the hardest part when I have to return home.”

“Love will only complicate things, Leonardo,” Usagi said softly. 

“I know,” Leo replied, his voice a rough whisper. His heart was pounding in his chest as he nestled his beak against Usagi’s neck. “But I do.”

Usagi caressed Leo’s shell and kissed his cheek. “As do I.”


	22. Chapter 22

Leonardo’s fingers dug into the tatami as he held his breath against the churr. Usagi had struck a particular sweet spot deep inside. The resulting shockwave of pleasure sent Leo over the top. Wanting to see his lover as he reached his climax, Leo looked up at Usagi. He could barely make out his features in the dark but he could see that Usagi was looking back at him. 

Usagi’s hand gripped Leo’s cock, squeezing it with each stroke over the tip. He milked Leo through his orgasm, making sure Leo was thoroughly satisfied before meeting his own need. Once they were both satisfied, their lips met in an exhausted kiss and they settled in next to each other. 

Leo and Usagi had made sure to take advantage of their last few nights together. Now, it was the night of his last day and part of him hoped it would never end. As eager as he was to get home, Leo hated the idea of leaving Usagi. 

“It’s better that we agree to end this,” Usagi said out of the blue. “Next time we are together, this cannot happen. You will no longer be my student. This kind of relationship does not continue when there is no longer a student, and master.”

“I understand,” Leo said past the lump in his throat. He refused to let himself get over emotional. 

“I know it’s hard,” Usagi soothed. “I didn’t handle it well when I first left my master and returned home. That was when Jotaro was conceived.” Leo chuckled in response even though he wanted to cry and Usagi kissed him one last time. “Our bond can never be broken but it cannot go beyond that of friendship again.”

Leo closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Eventually he was able to settle his emotions and sleep. 

Leonardo woke to the sound of Hana crying and immediately got up to get her. Her cries indicated her discomfort so Leo removed the swaddle to change her diaper. He contemplated simply throwing out the rag he had been using. He would be heading home in a few hours and he wouldn’t need it there. He decided to play it safe and set the cloth aside to be cleaned. 

After placing a clean diaper on Hana, Leo picked her up and gently massaged her hips. Kuroko was up, helping Leo by making Hana’s formula while Umō pulled the sheet over her head in an attempt to get more sleep. 

“We’re going home today,” Leo said softly. 

“We are!?” Umō sat up. Throwing the covers off, she got out of bed and did a little happy dance that soon turned into a pee pee dance. “I have to pee.”

“I’ll take her,” Usagi offered with a soft chuckle, taking Umō by the hand. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” Jotaro said as he stretched. 

“We’re going to miss you too.” Leo smiled up at him. “But we will see each other again.”

After everyone was dressed and fed they headed out for one more visit with Takara. They stayed through lunch, enjoying their final moments together. When it was time to go, Kuroko hugged his mother goodbye and they left, avoiding the Kame part of town as they made their way to the main road. 

When they got far enough away from the town, Leonardo got ready to open the portal. “This is going to be kind of scary,” he said to Kuroko and Umō. “It is going to look like a whirlpool and we have to step though it together. Just stay close to me and you’ll be alright.”

He then turned to Usagi. “Thank you. This was an experience that I will always remember.” He reached into his bag and pulled out his sack of coins. “I don’t need these. I kept one as a souvenir but the rest is yours. You and Jotaro will be able to eat well, for a while.”

Usagi accepted the sack and held it close. “About that.” He looked down at Jotaro and then back up at Leo. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Whatever you need,” Leo replied. 

“Take Jotaro with you,” Usagi pleaded. 

“What?” Leo and Jotaro exclaimed at the same time. 

“He’ll be safer with you,” Usagi said as tears formed in his eyes. “I know life on your world isn’t easy but I can’t bear the thought of Jotaro getting killed out here. I’ve come too close to death myself more times than I would like to admit. I have enemies who would not hesitate to kill a child.”

“I’ll do whatever you tell me to,” Jotaro argued, holding on to Usagi’s kimono. “You don’t have to send me away.”

Usagi knelt down to look Jotaro in the eyes. “You will be safer with Leonardo. He will be able train you and you won’t have to move around all the time. I will visit as often as the Daimyo allows. I promise. But I cannot protect you here.”

Jotaro pulled away from Usagi. “You never wanted me.”

“That’s not true,” Usagi said. He ran his fingers along Jotaro’s cheeks. “I loved your mother very much and when I found out that you were mine…, it made me so happy. As much as I wanted to be part of your life, I took comfort in knowing that you had a good home, you were loved, and that you were safe.” He pressed his forehead against Jotaro’s and Leo was glad to see that Jotaro did not pull away. “You deserve a better life than I can offer and it would be unfair to you if I kept you with me.”

“I would be safe if you took Lord Noriyuki’s offer,” Jotaro argued as tears ran down his cheeks. 

Usagi shook his head. “Based off the things I’ve been hearing, there is a high probability of war. If I were to join with Noriyuki, then I would have to fight. You would be left alone. If I were to die, there would be no one to take care of you. It is better that you go with Leonardo now. Let him take care of you, at least until you are old enough to care for yourself.” Cupping Jotaro’s face, Usagi looked him in the eyes. “Please understand why I am doing this. It isn’t because I don’t want you. It’s because I love you so much that I cannot bear to lose you.” 

“You will visit me?” Jotaro squeaked out past his tears. 

“As often as I can,” Usagi promised. 

Jotaro nodded. “Okay.” He leaned in and hugged Usagi. “I love you too.”

“Thank you for understanding,” Usagi whispered as he picked Jotaro up. He looked at Leonardo. “You will take him?”

Leo nodded. “I will.” He managed to smile and ran his hand down Jotaro’s back.

“Goodbye,” Usagi said as he hugged Jotaro one last time. 

Jotaro hugged him back and managed to sob out, “Goodbye.”

Leo removed the pendant from around his neck and handed it to Usagi. “I hope this is transferable. So you can visit whenever.”

Usagi put Jotaro down and ushered him closer to Leo. “Thank you,” he said to Leo, managing a weak smile as he accepted the pendant. 

Leonardo took Jotaro by the hand. “Stay close.” He then turned to Usagi. “You’ve got the pendant. Will you open the portal?”

With a slight nod, Usagi held up the pendant and recited the chant. A swirling portal opened in front of them, starting small but expanding to several feet in circumference in a matter of seconds. Kuroko reached up and grabbed hold of Leo’s kimono. 

“Stay close,” Leo repeated. “And don’t be afraid. Jotaro, take Umō’s hand. Don’t let go. Kuroko, keep hold of my kimono. We will all walk through together.” He turned one last time to Usagi and smiled. “Goodbye, my friend.”

Usagi returned the smile. “Goodbye, Leonardo san.”

Leonardo stepped forward and the children moved with him. They passed through the portal together. Soft ground gave way to a hard floor. The fresh air turned stagnant. The bright day turned to the dim light of the lair. Leonardo was home. 

“Welcome home,” Mikey’s voice greeted them.

“It smells,” Umō said, cupping her hand over her snout. 

“Leo?” Raph said. “What the…? How long were you there?”

Leo looked at his brothers and smiled. A welcome home banner hung across the common room and their friends were there to celebrate Leo’s homecoming. “It’s a long story,” Leo said, his voice a little shaky. “I was only there for three months.” 

“Is that a baby in your arms?” April asked as she made her way towards Leo. 

Leo handed Hana over to April without a second thought. “She needs help. Her parents abandoned her because of her condition. I’m going to need your help getting supplies.”

“Her condition?” Donny walked up to April and together they examined Hana. 

“The poor thing,” April said softly. “I’ll get you everything you need.”

“Why are the other Kame naked?” Kuroko whispered up to Leo. 

Leo shrugged. “That’s just… normal for us.”

“Can I take off my Kimono?” Kuroko asked. 

Leo chuckled and started to remove his clothes. “Yes.”

Umō looked over at Kuroko and Leo as they removed their clothes and her eyes lit up. “We can be naked?!” With a giggle she stripped off her clothes before Leo could say anything. 

“I’ll keep my clothes on,” Jotaro mumbled, squeezing Leo’s hand for comfort and support. 

“Children,” Leo said softly. “This is my family. My brothers Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. My father and sensei, Master Splinter. And, our friends April and Casey.” He ushered the children forward a bit. “This is Jotaro. He is Usagi’s son. This is Kuroko. He was orphaned so I decided to adopt him. It is the same with Umō. The baby’s name is Hana.”

“Kuroko is a fitting name,” Mikey said with a slight chuckle. “He is so cool. I didn’t know turtles could be all black like that. He is going to make a great ninja.”

“It’s like albinism only on the other end of the spectrum,” Donny simply explained. “It’s called melansim.”

April handed Hana over to Donatello. “I’m going out right now to buy you some things for Hana. Don’t tell any stories until I get back. Just eat and… whatever but don’t say anything about what happened. I want to know everything.” She grabbed her purse and made her way out of the lair. “I’ll be right back.”

While April was gone, Leo convinced Umō to put her clothes back on. Kuroko showed Splinter his father’s swords and Splinter agreed to help train him in how to use them. And, Mikey showed the kids the wonders of television and video games. 

After several minutes of looking Hana over, Donny looked up at Leo. “I think I will be able to help her. A series of braces should help to straighten her legs. It will, however, be uncomfortable for her. The sooner we get started the better. And, as she grows, I can make her some prosthetic arms.”

“Good.” Leo sat down next to Donny and ran his hand over Hana’s head. “I was worried that she would need surgery.”

“No.” Donny shook his head. “It won’t be an easy process but not overly complicated.” 

About an hour later, April retuned with some cloth diapers, formula, blankets, and some clothes for the kids that she had bought at a thrift store. “I have an old bassinet back at home. I’ll have to bring it by later. A drawer could also work for a while, she’s so tiny.”

April took over with Hana, feeding and dressing her while Leo told his story. She also took measurements of Jotaro and Umō so that she could adjust the clothes to fit around their tails. 

The hours quickly passed and the children were soon yawning. 

“Where are they gonna sleep?” Raph asked. Jotaro had curled up in his lap and was starting to doze. It didn’t seem to upset Raph in the slightest. 

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Leo admitted. 

“You can stay in my room tonight,” Donny offered. “Since you have a tatami, the children can sleep together in your room, except for Hana. She can sleep in with us so we can take turns feeding and changing her.”

“Ain’t you a cute couple,” Raph teased and Mikey laughed. 

“Alright,” Leo said with a chuckle, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “Help me get the kids up to my room.” He had missed the banter with his brothers. And, he was glad that they had all taken so well to the children. It was good to be home. 

Hana was swaddled and placed in a drawer that was cushioned with blankets. Her little mouth moved as she sucked on her tongue in her sleep. Leo watched her for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she was going to be okay. 

“Did all the research I do for you pay off?” Donny asked, drawing Leo from his thoughts. 

“Yes it did,” Leo answered. 

Donatello sat on the bed and fidgeted with the sheets. “So… no surprises?”

Leo chuckled. “There were some things that I could not be prepared for.”

“Like what?” Donny prompted. 

“Demons,” Leo replied, sitting on the bed, “for starters. They weren’t really like the ones we have encountered. It’s hard to explain.”

“Oh.” Donny cleared his throat. “So… uh… Usagi took you as his student.” 

Leo nodded, noting how uncomfortable Donny seemed as he looked down at his hands and played with the sheets. It suddenly hit Leo what Donny was alluding. Of course Donny would know about that aspect of samurai training. He would have been methodical enough in his research to find it. Leo had to swallow past the lump that was forming in his throat. “He did.”

Donny looked up at Leo, his honey colored eyes slightly dilated. “What was it like?”

Did Donny want details? Leo wasn’t sure he could talk about it in depth. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks and he found it hard to keep eye contact. “It… was… um… like nothing I’ve ever… done. I learned more than I ever thought possible.”

Donatello looked off to the side as his face also darkened in a deep blush. “Are you going to teach any of us?”

Leo looked at Donny, unable to believe what he had just heard. “If you’re willing to learn,” Leo answered.

“I’ve always wondered,” Donny said with a slight nod of his head. “I would be willing to learn… about the things that he taught you.”

Leo wasn’t positive that they were talking about the same thing. Beating around the bush was getting them nowhere fast. So with an exasperated sigh, Leo tilted his head and got to the point. “Just to be clear, we’re talking about sex. Right?”

“Yes,” Donny whispered his reply. 

Leo chuckled in relief. “Okay.” He leaned against the headboard but continued to look at Donny. “I was a little taken aback when Usagi first suggested it. But then I thought about it and decided that I trusted Usagi enough to open myself up like that to him. I also didn’t want to pass on the experience. Splinter had warned me about it but I didn’t understand what he meant until Usagi brought it up.”

“I know Master Splinter spoke to you about it,” Donny stated. “I was the one who brought it up with him after I found out about it in my research. I figured it would be easier coming from him since, knowing you, you would need his approval to do it.”

Once again, Leo felt himself blush. Donny was right. If Splinter hadn’t told Leo that such a relationship with Usagi was okay, He never would have done it. And, if he was honest with himself, he wouldn’t enter into any kind of relationship with one of his brothers without Splinter’s approval. 

“I’ve already talked to Splinter,” Donny said as if he had read Leo’s thoughts. “I thought about it a lot while you were gone and so I talked to Splinter about the possibility. What he would think.” Donny shrugged. “He said that it wasn’t up to him, one way or another, what we choose to do so long as it doesn’t affect our training.”

Donatello was barely able to get the words out before Leo leaned in to kiss him. Donny, after some fumbling and awkwardness, returned the kiss with enthusiasm. 

Leo was the one who broke the kiss, though it was obvious that Donny hungered for more. “What about the others?”

Donny shrugged but he was fighting a smile. “We’ve shared everything our whole lives. I don’t see any reason to stop now, so long as the others agree.” He bit his bottom lip and pulled it through his teeth. “But we can talk to them about it later. I want you all to myself for a few days before I have to share.”

“Okay,” Leo chuckled and pulled Donny into another kiss.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter!!! Yay. Time jumps to show bits of their lives. <3

Leonardo woke up to the sensation of Raphael kissing his neck. They were in Leo’s bed, spooning with Raph as the big spoon. 

Leo and Don had stayed exclusive for a few weeks, working out the mechanics of two turtles having sex. Donny could go deeper than Usagi ever could, insuring that the particular sweet spot deep inside was stimulated. However, he also had to be careful not to go too deep and cause a great deal of pain. 

When they had decided it was time to approach Mikey and Raph with the prospect of the four of them being in a relationship, Donny was the one to talk to them one on one to help avoid any embarrassment. Mikey was open and eager to join in. Raph, on the other hand, was a little more apprehensive. Leonardo believed it had something to do with his friendship with Casey or, more to the point, losing that friendship. 

It had taken Raph over a month before he tentatively approached Donny. But once those flood gates were open, he was almost insatiable. 

“You’re up early,” Leo mumbled, still half asleep. 

With a grunt, Raph shifted and pressed the tip of his hard erection against Leo’s tail. “I didn’t really have a choice.”

With a sleepy chuckle, Leo grabbed the bottle of silicon lubricant from the bedside table and passed it back to Raph. The lubricant was wonderful stuff, lasting longer than the water based lube. In fact, Leo could still feel the slick substance inside his tail from last night. 

He lifted his leg and un-tucked his tail to give Raph access. Raph continued to lick and kiss Leo’s neck as he reached around and dipped his slicked finger into Leo’s cloaca. Leo hummed in delight when Raph’s finger came in contact with the tip of his penis. It wasn’t long before the attention Raph was lavishing on him had the desired effect. Leo’s penis emerged and his tip flared open. 

Despite his overwhelming need, Raph was thorough in his prep-work before he dared to penetrate. He needed to be. Raph’s penis might have been the shortest but it was the thickest so he had to be careful and patient. 

He then took his time pushing in, giving Leo a chance to adjust after each upward thrust. Fortunately, Leo’s muscles were quick to relax due to the fact that they’d had sex before they had gone to sleep. Raph churred in delight when he realized that he didn’t have to be as careful. 

Even though he sought his own release, Raph wasn’t a selfish lover. Leo’s pleasure was just as important to him. Raph’s lube slicked fingers wrapped around Leo’s cock and started to pump. Any discomfort Leo had been feeling was soon forgotten as Raph teased the sensitive inner folds of his tip. Churring, Leo showed his appreciation by reaching back, wrapping his arm behind Raph’s neck and planting a soft kiss on Raph’s cheek. 

Raph’s steady movements had wave after wave of pleasure coursing through Leo, each peak more intense than the last. “Oh…, Raph!” Leo’s body tensed and trembled moments before he reached his climax and Raph’s wasn’t far behind. They continued to move together in the final sweet moments of bliss for as long as they could. 

When they parted, Raph kissed Leo deeply and then rolled over to go back to sleep. It was an enigma to Leo how Raph could sleep covered in the aftermath of sex. Leo didn’t like to be sticky and needed to be clean before sleep would be possible. 

He looked at the clock and decided that he might as well get up and start his day. 

It had been ten months since Leo had returned home. As he stood in the shower he let out a content sigh as the warm water washed over him. Thanks to his time with Usagi, Leonardo now appreciated the simple luxuries of home like warm showers and clean clothes. 

The morning stayed on schedule with breakfast, lessons, and training. There were no major plans for the day and Leo expected it to be uneventful. That was until a portal formed. 

Leonardo wasn’t there when it first appeared; he was in the dojo, meditating with Master Splinter. Raph had called to them from the common room when the portal first opened. By the time Leo stepped out of the dojo, Usagi was already through and, to Leo’s surprise, so was Takara. Usagi had visited a few times before but this was the first time he had brought Takara with him. 

Jotaro and Kuroko both ran to their respective parents. Usagi bent down to scoop Jotaro up and gave him a warm hug. “Oh how I have missed you.”

Jotaro buried his face against Usagi’s chest. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Takara was unable to do the same with Kuroko because she had a bundle in her arms. Instead she knelt down to Kuroko’s level and hugged him with one arm. “You have grown. Leonardo must be feeding you well.”

“The food here is great,” Kuroko said with a smile. “There is pizza and hotdogs and chocolate milk. It’s great! You gotta try it.”

“It is good to see you both again,” Leo said as he walked up to them.

“I hope we did not come at a bad time,” Usagi said. 

Leo shook his head in response. “Not at all.” He reached out for Takara. “Allow me to introduce you to my brothers. Then we can all sit down and visit.”

With a slight nod of her head, she allowed Leo to pull her forward. Leonardo had told his brothers about his encounter with Takara so they at least knew of her so her presence wasn’t a surprise for them. As he guided her towards the others he looked down at the bundle in her arms. “You brought a baby?”

“My grandmother is going to be mad when she finds out,” Takara said nervously as she passed the bundle to Leo. “But I just had to bring her to you.”

Leo felt his knees go weak but he managed to stay on his feet. “Why did you have to bring her to me?” He was almost afraid to know the answer, though he was pretty sure he knew what it was. 

“She’s yours,” Takara answered, confirming what Leo had already known. “Out of the six eggs, hers was the only one that was fertile. My grandmother says that she has a strong ki like you. She is the reason I couldn’t visit sooner. I didn’t want to leave her egg alone out of fear that my grandmother would hide her from me and I didn’t want to risk moving the egg myself. So I stayed to guard her.”

“She’s mine?” Leo was still in a mild state of shock. 

“Way to go, Leo,” Raph teased. 

“That’s what happens when you have unprotected sex with a female,” Donny added with a slight chuckle. 

“That possibility hadn’t even crossed my mind,” Leo admitted a little embarrassed. “I thought… that Takara….” His face was hot and he felt foolish for believing that it was her responsibility alone to prevent conception. He internally chided himself. He should have known better. 

Mikey laughed. “I’m pretty sure you weren’t doing much thinking.” His brothers’ teasing wasn’t helping him. 

Leo felt his throat close up as he looked down at his daughter. She was beautiful with leaf green skin and hazel eyes just like his, and she was so tiny. “I almost wish you hadn’t told me about her. The thought of not being a part of her life is almost too much to bear.”

Takara placed her hand on Leo’s arm. “I didn’t bring her here just to show you. I brought her to get her away from my grandmother. She will be much better off with you.”

It took a moment for Leo to register what Takara was saying. Surprised, he looked at her. “You’re willing to part with her? What about your grandmother? Won’t she punish you for this?”

Takara smiled and shook her head. “She will be angry but she will not hurt me. Whatever punishment she gives me will be worth it, knowing that our daughter is safe with you. It is painful but it’s for the best.”

Leonardo had to sit. His whole body felt numb. He willed his legs to move over to the sofa and then slowly lowered himself onto the worn cushion so not to jostle the baby too much. “What is her name,” he asked Takara. 

“Megumi,” Takara answered.

Leo waved his hand, signaling for Kuroko to come closer. “Come meet your sister.” Lowering Megumi so Kuroko could get a good look at her, Leo said, “She is related to both of us. In a way she brings us closer together.” 

Kuroko looked down at his baby sister and leaned against Leo. “I’m gonna be a good big brother.”

Leo kissed the top of Kuroko’s head. “You already are a wonderful big brother. You’ve been a big help with Hana.”

“Speaking of Hana; how is she?” Takara asked, sitting down next to Leo. 

“Thriving,” Leo answered. 

“I’ll go get her,” Donny said as he left the room. 

That opened the conversation up to everything that had happened over the past ten months. Leo told them how Hana’s therapy was going well but that it was trying. The braces on her legs were straightening them out but she was uncomfortable and it was going to be at least another year before there would be any hope of her walking. 

Umō had attached herself to Donny. She was a curious little girl and Donny indulged that curiosity. When Donny would go into long winded explanations, Umō would listen with rapt attention, soaking it all in. She was so studious that she was already reading at a higher level than the boys. 

Jotaro and Kuroko focused on training, most of the time. They were both determined to be the best and competed with each other, in a friendly manner. However, Mikey had introduced them to the wonders of technology and the pair spent a lot of their free time either playing video games or watching television. Leo allowed them the indulgence. At least they weren’t fighting or getting into trouble. 

The conversation lasted for hours. The children did most of the talking, prattling on through lunch about the different wonders of this world. After lunch, Jotaro and Kuroko put on a demonstration of everything they had learned as their parents look on with pride. 

It was a good visit, not a moment was wasted, but it seemed to end all too soon. Usagi’s visits only lasted a day and this time wasn’t any different. They said their tearful goodbyes and Usagi opened the portal to return to their world. 

They visited often through the years, spending the day with their children whenever they could. Sometimes Usagi visited alone, other times he brought Takara with him. It all depended on where he was in his travels when he was struck with the desire to visit. 

It continued that way until the day Usagi came to take his son back to his world. It was a bitter sweet moment for them all. 

“You listen to Master Katsuichi,” Leo said to Jotaro. “Don’t let my training stand in the way of his.”

“I will,” Jotaro assured him. 

“Have fun roughing it,” Kuroko said with a grin as he extended his hand to Jotaro.

“It’ll be worth it,” Jotaro replied, shaking Kuroko’s hand, “when I become the greatest warrior ever.”

Kuroko laughed. “You’re going to be so disappointed when I beat you in the Battle Nexus.”

“In your dreams,” Jotaro shot back. “You’ve gonna be fat and lazy from eating pizza and playing video games. I’m going to be eating healthy food that I grow myself and I won’t have any distractions from my training.”

“That’s enough you two,” Umō interrupted, forcing them apart. She turned to Jotaro and gave him a hug. “I will miss you.”

“I will miss you too.” Jotaro returned the hug and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll see each other again once my training is over.”

Not wanting to be left out, Megumi and Hana rushed up to say their goodbyes. Donatello’s treatments had worked so well that there was no sign that there was ever anything wrong with Hana’s legs. She was a fast runner and was shaping up to be a formidable fighter. 

Leonardo couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride over how they all had turned out. 

After everyone had their chance to say their goodbyes, Jotaro left through the portal with his father. 

>>>

“Father, come look what Kuroko did!” Megumi called out from the dojo. “He turned his sword a different color.”

Leonardo paused midstride, remembering what the old Kame had said. Steading himself he schooled his features to show no reaction. When he stepped into the dojo he couldn’t help but show his surprise. Kuroko’s blade had changed color but it did not turn black like the old Kame had warned him. The blade was instead gold. 

Kuroko looked up at Leo and his golden eyes were shining with delight. “I focused my ki into the blade like you taught me, father.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I didn’t think that the color would change.”

Leo heaved a sigh of relief. “I am so proud of you, my son.”

>>>>

Kuroko stood among the other participants getting ready to fight in the tournament. Ten years of training under Leonardo had led to this moment. He had passed the qualifying round with ease and was eager to start the first round. 

Sadly Jotaro was not able to be there this time. His duties to Noriyuki came first and the threat of war was too great to spare his best warrior. So Kuroko faced his first Nexus Tournament without his best friend. 

“You’re Kuroko. Right?” 

Kuroko turned to find a female Kame standing behind him. Crossing his arms over his plastron, Kuroko eyed her suspiciously. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage.”

“My name is Mai,” the girl said with a slight bow. “I am your sister.”

In all the years that his mother came to visit, she never brought his siblings with her. It didn’t surprise him that his mother’s grandmother told Mai about him. It left him to wonder why she had approached him. 

He decided to take the friendly approach. “It’s good to meet you.”

“My grandmother thinks you are dangerous,” Mai stated flatly. 

“Only for my enemies,” Kuroko quipped, allowing a slight smirk to grace his face. 

Mai raised an eye ridge. “Today I am an enemy.”

“And if we meet in combat, I will show no mercy,” Kuroko replied. “There are safety protocols in place. Here I don’t have to hold back for fear of hurting anyone. That said,” he looked her in the eyes, “I would like it to be friendly between us.”

She looked him over and then lifted her chin. “You’re naked.”

Smiling, he spread his arms out to the side. “That’s the way we do it on Third Earth. It allows for better freedom of movement. You should try it. It’s liberating.”

A small giggle escaped her before she got it under control by clearing her throat. “I hope grandmother is wrong about you.”

“She is,” Kuroko said with a smile. “My father has trained me well in both ninjutsu and bushido.”

“It was good to meet you,” Mai said bowing her head. 

“I hope we meet again,” Kuroko replied. 

“Maybe we will,” she said.

The crowd erupted in cheer as the Ultimate Daimyo made his appearance, cutting off any hope of continuing their conversation. They turned their attention to the Daimyo to listen to his announcement. The battle was about to begin.


End file.
